Famous Swiss Business People

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 1 
Otto Frank
(German Businessman and Father of ‘Anne Frank', the Author of 'The Diary of a Young Girl’)
Otto Frank
4
Birthdate: May 12, 1889
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Province of Hesse-Nassau
Died: August 19, 1980
Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, published her journal, detailing her experience during the Holocaust, as The Diary of a Young Girl, after her death. Otto was the only person in his family to survive the Holocaust. A former banker, he had also served in the German army.
 2 
Gianni Infantino
(Swiss-Italian Football Administrator and the 9th President of FIFA )
Gianni Infantino
3
Birthdate: March 23, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brig, Switzerland

Gianni Infantino is a Swiss-Italian football administrator, currently serving as the president of FIFA. He studied law at the University of Fribourg and worked as the secretary-general of the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES). He later began working with the UEFA and FIFA. He was implicated in a FIFA corruption scandal in 2016. 

 3 
Henry Dunant
(Swiss Humanitarian, Businessman and Co-Founder of the 'Red Cross')
Henry Dunant
3
Birthdate: May 8, 1828
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Died: October 30, 1910

Henry Dunant was a Swiss businessman, social activist, and humanitarian. He is credited with co-founding and promoting the Red Cross. In 1901, he became the first Swiss Nobel laureate when he was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. Dunant is also credited with founding the Swiss branch of YMCA. His life inspired the 1948 historical drama film, Man to Men.

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 4 
Nathaniel Philip Rothschild
(Financier, Economist and Banker)
Nathaniel Philip Rothschild
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Birthdate: July 12, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
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 5 
Jorge Paulo Lemann
(Businessman, Investment Banker, and Co-Founder of the Brazilian Investment Firm ‘3G Capital’)
Jorge Paulo Lemann
3
Birthdate: August 26, 1939
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Jorge Paulo Lemann is a Brazilian billionaire businessman and investment banker. Lemann is credited with co-founding 3G Capital, a Brazilian investment firm, which owns brands like Anheuser-Busch, Burger King, and Heinz. In 2019, Jorge Paulo Lemann was named the world's 37th richest person by Forbes magazine, thanks to his net worth of 24.6 billion US dollars.

 6 
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus
(Businesswoman)
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus
3
Birthdate: July 1, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Born in Russia, Swiss billionaire Margarita Louis-Dreyfus initially studied law and economics. She became an heir to the agricultural and food-processing commodities giant Louis-Dreyfus group after her husband Robert Louis-Dreyfus’s death. At 53, she became a mother of twins, with her partner Philipp Hildebrand. She was featured on Forbes Billionaires 2021.

 7 
Ernesto Bertarelli
(Swiss Businessman, Philanthropist and CEO of ‘Serono’ a Biotechnology Company)
Ernesto Bertarelli
2
Birthdate: September 22, 1965
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rome, Italy

Ernesto Bertarelli is an Italian born-Swiss businessman who is counted amongst the richest men in the world.  A well-known philanthropist, Bertarelli is credited with establishing a foundation to promote research and development concerning female and male infertility. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Plymouth University.

 8 
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and Piedmont
(Prince)
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and Piedmont
3
Birthdate: June 22, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland

Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and Piedmont is the only male descendant of the former Italian king Umberto II. Since Italy banished the House of Savoy, he has lived in exile for 3 decades and is now a successful restaurateur in LA. He also often appears on Italian TV shows.

 9 
Ivan Glasenberg
(Business executive known as former CEO of Glencore)
Ivan Glasenberg
2
Birthdate: January 7, 1957
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

While Ivan Glasenberg initially excelled in sports and even went on to become a national race-walking champion for South Africa and Israel, he later earned a business degree and began trading coal in Australia, becoming Australia’s fifth-richest man in 2015. He then took over as the CEO of Glencore and moved to Switzerland.

 10 
Barbara Berlusconi
(Business executive)
Barbara Berlusconi
2
Birthdate: July 30, 1984
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Arlesheim, Switzerland

Barbara Berlusconi is the daughter of popular Italian politician and media tycoon, Silvio Berlusconi. A business executive, Barbara Berlusconi serves as an important member of the advisory board of Fininvest SpA. She also played an important managerial role at A.C. Milan in 2011.

 11 
Joan Gamper
(Former Football Executive Who Founded Football Clubs in Switzerland and Spain)
Joan Gamper
2
Birthdate: November 22, 1877
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Winterthur, Switzerland
Died: July 30, 1930

Swiss-born sports executive Joan Gamper is best remembered as the founder of the legendary football club FC Barcelona. A sports enthusiast since his childhood, he excelled in many sports, such as football, golf, and tennis. He died of suicide at age 52, apparently driven by depression related to financial issues.

 12 
Daniel Humm
(Swiss Celebrity Chef and Restauranter )
Daniel Humm
2
Birthdate: 1976 AD
Birthplace: Strengelbach, Switzerland

Swiss chef and restaurateur Daniel Humm, who owns multiple restaurants, including the popular Eleven Madison Park in New York, began working as a culinary apprentice at age 14 and earned his first Michelin star at age 24. He has penned several cookbooks and also owns a food-based non-profit, Rethink Food.

 13 
Dieter Meier
(Musician, Artist, Singer, Entrepreneur)
Dieter Meier
2
Birthdate: March 4, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zürich

Known for his deep voice and his signature moustache, Swiss musician and conceptual artist Dieter Meier co-founded the electronic music band Yello. The son of an affluent banker, he dropped out of a law course and pursued music and art. He is also on the board of a music technology business.

 14 
Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark
(Businesswoman, heiress and socialite)
Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark
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Birthdate: January 22, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: St. Moritz, Switzerland
 15 
Kojo Annan
(Son of the Former Un Secretary-General 'Kofi Annan')
Kojo Annan
2
Birthdate: July 25, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland

The only son of former secretary-general of the UN, Kofi Annan, Kojo Annan is a serial entrepreneur who has been associated with various companies, such as Vector Global and Made in Africa. The Swiss-born Ghanaian-Nigerian was a talented college rugby player and works to provide sports scholarships to African students.

 16 
Nicolas Hayek
(Entrepreneur)
Nicolas Hayek
2
Birthdate: February 19, 1928
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
Died: June 28, 2010
 17 
Marc Faber
(Swiss Investor)
Marc Faber
2
Birthdate: February 28, 1946
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zürich, Switzerland

Better known as Doctor Doom, Swiss economist Marc Faber was associated with companies such as White Weld & Co., before launching his own business. Known for his books such as The Great Money Illusion and his investment newsletters, he has also been in the news for his racist comments.

 18 
Simone Tata
(Businessperson)
Simone Tata
2
Birthdate: 1930 AD
Birthplace: Geneva

Swiss-born Simone Tata met her husband, Naval H. Tata., the adopted son of Sir Ratanji Tata and part of the Tata Group, on a trip to India. She later joined the board of Lakmé and transformed the Indian make-up industry, which, till then, relied on nothing more than cream and talcum powder.

 19 
Meyer Guggenheim
(Industrialist)
Meyer Guggenheim
2
Birthdate: February 1, 1828
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Langnau, Switzerland
Died: March 15, 1905
 20 
Gerald Genta
(Design engineer, Watchmaker)
Gerald Genta
1
Birthdate: May 1, 1931
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Died: August 17, 2011
 21 
Daniel Vasella
(Swiss medical doctor)
Daniel Vasella
2
Birthdate: August 15, 1953
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Fribourg, Switzerland
 22 
Philipp Hildebrand
(Swiss Banker and Vice Chairman of Blackrock, Inc. (Since 2012))
Philipp Hildebrand
2
Birthdate: July 19, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bern, Switzerland

While he once headed the Swiss National Bank, Swiss banker Philipp Hildebrand had to resign later due to the controversy surrounding the currency trading practices of his former wife. He is now dating Russian-Swiss billionaire Margarita Louis-Dreyfus and heads BlackRock as its vice chairman. He is also part of G30.

 23 
César Ritz
(Swiss Hotelier and Founder of the Hôtel Ritz)
César Ritz
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Birthdate: February 23, 1850
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Niederwald
Died: October 26, 1918
 24 
Julius Maggi
(Founding Maggi, which was merged with Nestle in 1947)
Julius Maggi
1
Birthdate: October 9, 1846
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Frauenfeld, Switzerland
Died: October 19, 1912
 25 
Monisha Kaltenborn
(Austrian Team Principal & CEO of the Sauber F1 Team)
Monisha Kaltenborn
2
Birthdate: May 10, 1971
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dehradun, India

Though born in India, Monisha Kaltenborn moved to Austria as a child. After attaining a master’s degree in law, she worked for the UN and various legal firms. She also headed Sauber Motorsport as its CEO and later formed KDC Racing. The mother of two now lives with her family in Switzerland.

 26 
Rolf Dobelli
(Author, Businessman)
Rolf Dobelli
2
Birthdate: July 15, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Luzern, Switzerland
Swiss businessman Rolf Dobelli was initially associated with a number of subsidiaries of Swissair and then co-established getAbstract. However, he later devoted himself to writing and penned bestsellers such as The Art of Thinking Clearly. Dubbed a “…self-help guru…” by The Times, he also advocates avoiding the news.
 27 
Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
(Industrialist)
Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
2
Birthdate: April 13, 1921
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Scheveningen, Netherlands
Died: April 26, 2002

Dutch-born Swiss billionaire Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza was born into a reputed steel business family. He created one of the greatest art collections by a private collector, adding to the collection he had inherited from his father. One of his 5 marriages was to Miss Spain Carmen "Tita" Cervera.

 28 
Philippe Suchard
(Swiss chocolatier)
Philippe Suchard
1
Birthdate: October 9, 1797
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Boudry
Died: January 14, 1884
 29 
Peter Voser
(Businessman)
Peter Voser
3
Birthdate: August 29, 1958
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Baden, Switzerland
 30 
Claude Nobs
(Music Promoter)
Claude Nobs
1
Birthdate: February 8, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Territet, Switzerland
Died: January 10, 2013
 31 
Nayla Hayek
(Businesswoman)
Nayla Hayek
1
Birthdate: January 1, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Switzerland
 32 
Josef Ackermann
(Banker)
Josef Ackermann
0
Birthdate: February 7, 1948
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Walenstadt, Switzerland
 33 
Tibor Rosenbaum
(Businessman)
Tibor Rosenbaum
1
Birthdate: November 2, 1923
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kisvárda, Hungary
Died: October 23, 1980
 34 
Prakash Hinduja
(Businessperson)
Prakash Hinduja
1
Birthdate: June 1, 1945
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: India
 35 
Urs Rohner
(Lawyer, Businessman)
Urs Rohner
1
Birthdate: December 1, 1959
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Zurich, Switzerland
 36 
Jacqui Safra
(Billionaire Investor from Geneva)
Jacqui Safra
0
Birthdate: 1940 AD
Birthplace: Geneva
 37 
Benoît Violier
(Chef)
Benoît Violier
1
Birthdate: August 22, 1971
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saintes, France
Died: January 31, 2016
 38 
Klaus Johann Jacobs
(Billionaire)
Klaus Johann Jacobs
1
Birthdate: December 3, 1936
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bremen, Germany
Died: September 11, 2008
 39 
Paul Sacher
(Swiss Conductor, Patron and Billionaire Businessperson)
Paul Sacher
1
Birthdate: April 28, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland
Died: May 26, 1999

While his marriage to Maja Stehlin, the widow of the sole heir of the pharmaceutical giant Hoffmann-La Roche, made him the world’s third-richest man, Paul Sacher was a talented composer in his own right. Apart from a chamber orchestra and a choir, he also founded a music academy.

 40 
Reto Baumgartner
(Association football player)
Reto Baumgartner
0
Birthdate: April 28, 1967
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Switzerland
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 41 
Louis Schweitzer
(Businessman)
Louis Schweitzer
0
Birthdate: July 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
 42 
Theodor Tobler
(Businessperson)
Theodor Tobler
0
Birthdate: January 24, 1876
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bern, Switzerland
Died: May 4, 1941