Dietrich Mateschitz is dead. The entrepreneur died on Saturday at the age of 79 after a short, serious illness. Like almost no other, the richest Austrian not only shaped entrepreneurship, but also sport and the media landscape in this country. The career path of the dazzling and at the same time extremely secretive Styrian was one thing above all: full of energy and that to the end.
Red Bull is inextricably linked to his name. Mateschitz, who was born in Sankt Marein im Mürztal in 1944 as the son of a teacher couple and also grew up there, first tasted the energy drink during a business trip in the 1980s. As the marketing director of the toothpaste company Blendax in Thailand, he came across a caffeine- and taurine-containing drink called “Krating Daeng”, which means “red bull”. Mateschitz acquired the license rights and together with the Thai family Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH based in Fuschl am See.
The mixture of success
His entry in the company register will be there for a maximum of six months and then be history again: That’s what quite a few skeptics said when Mateschitz founded Red Bull. This year it is 35 years since the energy drink came onto the Austrian market. According to its own statements, Red Bull is the best-selling energy drink in the world. Last year, the beverage manufacturer sold 9.8 billion cans worldwide and turned over 7.8 billion euros – with a profit of 1.2 billion euros.
- ZIB 1: Roland Adrowitzer analyzes the life and work of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
Red Bull has been the most valuable Austrian corporate brand for years. The rise of the group brought a lot of money to the account of the idea generator: The US magazine “Forbes” recently estimated Mateschitz’s assets at $ 26.9 billion (24.3 billion euros). Only 55 people worldwide were richer recently. As a mixture for his success, experts see the courage to take risks as well as the sense of having understood like no other how to beat the marketing drum.
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Over the past 35 years, Mateschitz has built up a sports, media, real estate and gastronomy empire around the energy drink. Red Bull owns football teams and academies, a Formula 1 team, two ice hockey clubs and sponsors hundreds of top athletes – also in the alternative sports scene and in extreme sports. The criticism of several consumer protection organizations, which demand a ban on energy drinks for young people because of the high caffeine content, rolls off the company.
Avoided the limelight
Mateschitz himself avoided the public eye throughout his life – apart from appearances at football games for his teams in Salzburg or Leipzig.
These have recently become rarer because, according to insiders, his health has gradually deteriorated. As much was known about his public work and his projects, such as investments in spinal cord research worth millions, Mateschitz was private. His mother and father divorced early, his only child is his son Mark, who was born in 1993.
In father’s footsteps?
He manages the group’s own beer brand Thalheimer Heilwasser and since the beginning of the year has also been on the board of the Wings for Life foundation, which aims to make paraplegia as a result of spinal cord injuries curable.
In recent years, Mark should be built up to follow in his father’s footsteps and continue the company. However, it is unclear how Red Bull will continue: As the majority owner with 51 percent, the Thai family Yoovidhya must now make the decision.
The road to Red Bull
Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz was born on May 20, 1944 in Sankt Marein im Mürztal. After studying business administration at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences, now the University of Economics and Business, he initially worked for Jacobs Kaffee and Blendax. During a business trip, he became aware of the Asian energy drink “Krating Daeng”, or “Red Bull” in English, acquired the license rights and founded the company together with the Thai entrepreneurial family Yoovidhya in the mid-1980s.
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Mateschitz about …
… cultural identity. “There is a critical mass to everything. At the weekend 20,000 hikers and mountain bikers in the Hohe Tauern National Park, that’s possible. The chamois just move together. But if you turn the 20,000 into 200,000, then the whole thing breaks. We have to understand that not only the natural regions are finite, but all resources, energy, water, food, air, everything, including the earth itself.”
… virtues that his associates should have. “Professional competence, straightforwardness, decency, character. This includes not only a certain performance potential, but also the willingness to make this potential available. It’s no good if I can do everything but I’m not willing to do it all. I try to surround myself with people who share my philosophy of ‘work hard’ and ‘play hard’.”
… his commitment. “It’s true that I have a weakness for beautiful, unique places – to enjoy them, but also to take care of them.”
… Public relation. “I also give interviews to sports and business media. What I don’t do, however, is press myself into the media at every convenient and inconvenient opportunity. I don’t have the time for that.”
The quotes are from an interview with the Kleine Zeitung in 2017
Reactions: “An impressive life’s work”
“From Austria, Dietrich Mateschitz built up a globally renowned and successful company. Mateschitz has shaped Austria’s business and sports landscape like few others in our country. His journey through life was just impressive.”
Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President
“With the death of Didi Mateschitz, Austria not only loses one of the most successful entrepreneurs and innovators, but also a person who was extremely committed to social and societal causes throughout his life.”
Karl Nehammer, Chancellor
“He was always super nice and caring to me. I will always remember the last time I met him a month ago, it was very special and it is even more so now. I wouldn’t be sitting here without him, it’s an incredibly tough day.”
Max Verstappen (NL), Formula 1 World Champion
“We are thinking back on a visionary and a person to whom we feel great gratitude for everything he has made possible for us as a club. Now, more than ever, we see it as our responsibility to continue his life’s work and his vision, together with Red Bull, in his spirit.”
Red Bull Salzburg
“He was a deeply impressive personality who created great things in a wide variety of areas with a lot of energy and ambition. What his passionate commitment, especially for the successful development of RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig, has achieved can hardly be put into words.
Ralf Rangnick, ÖFB team boss
“You never gave up and have built an incredible empire. You have helped countless athletes on their way to the top. You were a man of handshake quality and you stood behind me even in difficult times. Thank you for everything!”
Dominic Thiem, tennis player
“It is unbelievable for all of us that a great personality had to resign so early.”
Helmut Marko, Red Bull Motorsport Advisor
“Didi, thank you for helping and supporting me and many other athletes to achieve our dreams. The legacy you built will live on through us.”
Anna Gasser, Olympic snowboard champion
“Today we wanted Red Bull athletes to step on the gas for Didi. It is of course a sad day. I hope that I was able to give him something like that to take with him.”
Marco Odermatt, the Swiss Red Bull athlete after his
Giant slalom victory in Sölden
“I have very, very nice and good memories. In general, the relationship – I was still very, very young at the time – was always on an equal footing with him and I learned to appreciate being treated with a lot of respect by him.”
Sebastian Vettel, four-time Formula 1 world champion
“Despite all our sadness, we would also like to express our great gratitude for everything that Dietrich Mateschitz has made possible for us as a club. His passion for the sport, his dedication and spirit will always remain an inspiring role model for us.”
RB Leipzig, Bundesliga soccer team
Source: Nachrichten
