Dietrich Mateschitz Biography: Net Worth, Wife, Age, Children, Wikipedia, Deaths

Dietrich Mateschitz was an Austrian billionaire and co-founder of Red Bull GmbH, founded in 1984 after discovering the Thai energy drink Krating Daeng.

Under his leadership, Red Bull became a global leader in the energy drink market and expanded into sports, including Formula 1 and football teams like RB Leipzig and FC Red Bull Salzburg.

Mateschitz’s net worth at his death was estimated at $27.4 billion. Before Red Bull, he worked in marketing for Unilever and Blendax.

Profile

• Full Name: Dietrich Markwart Eberhart Mateschitz
• Stage Name: Dietrich Mateschitz
• Born: 20 May 1944
• Death date: 22 October 2022
• Age: 78 years old
• Birthplace: Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Styria, Austria
• Nationality: Australian
• Occupation: Austrian billionaire businessman
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Auguste Mateschitz
• Siblings: Unknown
• Partner: Marion Feichtner (2009–)
• Children: Mark Mateschitz
• Relationship: Unmarried
• Net Worth: $27.4 billion

Early Life And Education

Dietrich Markwart Eberhart Mateschitz was born on May 20, 1944, in Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Styria, Austria, to parents of Slovene-Styrian or Croatian descent.

His mother, Auguste Mateschitz, was a schoolteacher from Styria, while his father, whose name remains unknown, was also a schoolteacher from Marburg an der Drau, now part of Slovenia. Mateschitz may have had siblings, but their names are not publicly known.

He graduated from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (formerly Hochschule für Welthandel) in 1972 with a degree in marketing.

His academic background laid the foundation for his later entrepreneurial success. Mateschitz was of Austro-Slovenian ethnicity and practised Christianity.

Career

Dietrich Mateschitz began his career in marketing at Unilever and later worked for Blendax, a German cosmetics company.

During a business trip to Thailand, he discovered Krating Daeng, an energy drink that inspired him to create Red Bull. Sensing its potential in Europe, Mateschitz partnered with Thai entrepreneur Chaleo Yoovidhya, and in 1984, they co-founded Red Bull GmbH.

The drink was launched in Austria in 1987, and its unique marketing strategies quickly made Red Bull a global leader in the energy drink market.

Red Bull’s success was fueled by Mateschitz’s innovative marketing, mainly through sponsorships of extreme sports. Under his leadership, the brand became synonymous with surfing, skydiving, and mountain biking activities.

A significant milestone in Red Bull’s marketing was the 2012 Red Bull Stratos project. Felix Baumgartner made a historic skydiving leap from the edge of space, cementing Red Bull’s association with groundbreaking extreme sports.

In addition to energy drinks, Mateschitz expanded Red Bull’s influence in sports by acquiring several teams. In 2004, he bought the failing Jaguar Racing Formula One team and rebranded it as Red Bull Racing, which became one of the sport’s most successful teams.

He also acquired several football clubs, including FC Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, alongside multiple ice hockey teams. These acquisitions further boosted Red Bull’s visibility in global sports.

Mateschitz was also deeply involved in philanthropy. He co-founded the Wings for Life Foundation to support spinal cord research and personally donated substantial funds to Paracelsus Medical University for a spinal cord injury research centre.

Mateschitz also initiated the World Stunt Awards and the Wings for Life World Run, demonstrating his commitment to charitable causes.

Mateschitz’s interests included his ownership of Seitenblicke, Austria’s top society magazine, and ServusTV, a television channel he acquired in 2007.

Despite his media ventures, he preferred to stay out of the celebrity spotlight. By his passing, Mateschitz had built a legacy as a successful entrepreneur and a key figure in the world of sports, media, and philanthropy.

Social Media

Dietrich Mateschitz does not have any active social media accounts.

Personal Life

Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder of Red Bull, never married but was in a long-term relationship with Marion Feichtner.

He had a son, Mark Mateschitz, born in 1993, from a previous relationship. Mateschitz passed away at the age of 78, leaving behind his partner and son.

Net Worth

At the time of his death in October 2022, Dietrich Mateschitz had an estimated net worth of $27.4 billion, making him Austria’s richest person and one of the wealthiest globally.

As co-founder of Red Bull, he owned 49% of the company, which, with its immense success in energy drink sales generating billions in annual revenue, contributed significantly to his fortune.