Dietrich Mateschitz (born 20 May 1944) is an Austrian businessman. Mateschitz is a cofounder of the energy drink producer Red Bull, and holds 49[citation needed] percent of the company's shares.
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Dietrich Mateschitz was born on 20 May 1944 in Sankt Marein im Mürztal, in the Styria state of Austria. Mateschitz was raised by two primary-school-teacher parents who separated when he was very young.[1] Although never married, he reportedly has a son.[2] He rarely drinks alcohol and does not smoke, and his friends include Bernd Pischetsrieder, the former Volkswagen boss. [2] He holds a pilot's licence and enjoys flying a Falcon 900 and a Piper Super Cub.[2]
After taking ten years to graduate from the Hochschule für Welthandel (now Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration) with a marketing degree,[1] Mateschitz's first employer was Unilever, where he got to grips with detergents. He subsequently moved to Blendax, the German cosmetics company since bought by Procter & Gamble, where he worked on, among other things, in the marketing of Blendax tooth paste.[3] It was as part of his travels for Blendax that he discovered the drink that would later become Red Bull.[1] In 1984, he founded Red Bull GmbH [4] with his Thai partners Chaleo and Chalerm Yoovidhya with the launch in Austria in 1987. [3] Subsequently, he turned the Red Bull drink into a world market leader[citation needed] among energy drinks. Like the crystal group Swarovski, motorbike manufacturer KTM, sweets producers Manner and Pez, and the lingerie company Palmers, Red Bull is an Austrian consumer brand with a worldwide reputation.
He lives in Salzburg, Austria but also owns Laucala Island, off Fiji, which he bought from the Forbes family for £7 million.[2]
Mateschitz is known[citation needed] as a marketing specialist. His company is known for its advertising[citation needed] and as a sponsor for various types of extreme sports. In 2004, Mateschitz bought the Formula One team Jaguar Racing from the Ford Motor Company. It was subsequently renamed to Red Bull Racing. Then, at the end of 2005, Mateschitz joined forces with Austrian former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, and purchased the Italian-registered Minardi team from Australian Paul Stoddart. The team was renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso, Toro Rosso meaning Red Bull in Italian.
Mateschitz plans[citation needed] to set up a testing site for the automobile industry at the Austrian race circuit A1-Ring. There are already very far developed plans, but residents of the area object.[citation needed] He also plans to create an Avionautik Akademie in Zeltweg jointly with the Austrian Army.[citation needed] A 60-year-old bachelor, he has his own hangar, where he keeps his collection of old planes, including a Douglas DC-6 which once belonged to Marshal Tito.[citation needed] He also sponsors the World Stunt Awards, an annual fundraiser to benefit his Taurus Foundation, which helps injured stunt professionals.
In April 2005, he bought the Austrian football club SV Austria Salzburg and in March 2006, he bought the American soccer club MetroStars; both clubs were subsequently (and somewhat controversially[citation needed]) renamed for his famous drink, as Red Bull Salzburg and Red Bull New York, respectively.
He also owns a NASCAR Sprint Cup team called Team Red Bull which fields two Toyota Camrys for drivers Brian Vickers and Scott Speed, who drive the #83 and #82 cars respectively.
He also owns Seitenblicke, Austria's top society magazine, avoids the celebrity circuit and watches most Formula One races on TV (despite owning two teams).[2]
In June 2009, he founded in Saxony the club RB Leipzig and was named as owner[5].
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   | Forbes.com: The Soda With Buzz - The Soda With Buzz - Forbes.com |
| | Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People - Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2004 |
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