Dietrich Mateschitz
Born 1944 · Age 81
Austrian businessman, co-founder and 49% owner of Red Bull GmbH; transformed a Thai energy tonic into a global brand and built a sports and media empire.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Styria, Austria
Dietrich Mateschitz was born to two schoolteacher parents; family of Slovene-Styrian or Croatian ancestry.
Began long studies at Hochschule für Welthandel (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
Attended what is now Vienna University of Economics and Business; reportedly took ten years to complete studies while working.
Joined Blendax (German cosmetics firm)
Moved from Unilever to Blendax where he worked on consumer products such as toothpaste; travel for Blendax later led to discovery of Krating Daeng.
Graduated with a marketing degree
Graduated from Vienna University of Economics and Business (marketing degree) after roughly ten years of study.
First employer: Unilever (marketing detergents)
Started career in marketing at Unilever, working on detergent brands (reported as his first employer).
Discovered Krating Daeng in Thailand
While travelling for Blendax he bought and tried Krating Daeng; noted it cured his jet lag and saw commercial potential for Europe.
Formed partnership with Chaleo Yoovidhya; founded Red Bull GmbH
Struck a partnership with Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya to adapt Krating Daeng concept for Western markets and founded Red Bull GmbH.
Equity split in Red Bull partnership established
Partnership arrangement: Mateschitz and Chaleo each took ~49% ownership and Chaleo's son Chalerm took ~2% (structure cited in sources).
Invested to develop a Westernized formula
Worked for around three years (mid-1980s) modifying the Thai drink (carbonation, taste) to suit European palates before full launch.
Launched Red Bull in Austria
Official market launch of Red Bull in Austria after several years of product development and marketing work.
Birth of son Mark Mateschitz
His son Mark was born in May 1992; later became managing director of one of his investment companies.
Red Bull begins major sports sponsorships and expansion
Through the 1990s and 2000s the brand accelerated sponsorship of extreme sports and motorsport as a core marketing strategy.
Acquired and rebranded EC Red Bull Salzburg (ice hockey)
Red Bull acquired the Salzburg ice hockey club and rebranded it under Red Bull (club acquisition and rebrand).
Bought Laucala island in Fiji
Purchased the private island of Laucala from the Forbes family; reported price about £7 million in sources.
Opened Hangar‑7 (aviation/collection and exhibition space)
Hangar‑7 at Salzburg Airport, housing his Flying Bulls aircraft collection, restaurant and exhibitions, opened to the public (planning began 1999).
Co‑founded Wings for Life foundation
Co‑founded Wings for Life with Heinz Kinigadner to fund spinal cord research (foundation established to fund long‑term research projects).
Initiated Taurus World Stunt Awards / Taurus Foundation benefit events
Mateschitz initiated the World Stunt Awards and the Taurus Foundation to help injured stunt professionals and fund stunt industry support (dates of inception early 2000s).
Purchased the A1‑Ring and renamed it Red Bull Ring
Bought the former Österreichring/A1‑Ring racing circuit and later invested in its redevelopment; re-opened as the Red Bull Ring in 2011.
Bought Jaguar Racing (Formula One) from Ford
Acquired the failing Jaguar Racing F1 team in November 2004 and prepared it for full Red Bull rebrand in 2005; purchase fee widely reported as $1.
Hired Adrian Newey as technical director
Brought leading engineer Adrian Newey on board as technical director for Red Bull Racing (reports cite a $10m salary package).
Red Bull Racing debuts (renamed from Jaguar)
The purchased Jaguar team was renamed Red Bull Racing for the 2005 F1 season and Christian Horner was recruited as team principal.
Bought SV Austria Salzburg (football club)
Acquired the Austrian football club SV Austria Salzburg in April 2005 and later rebranded it as FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Purchased Minardi (F1) — later Toro Rosso
Joined Gerhard Berger to buy Minardi in September 2005 to create a junior Red Bull F1 team; rebranded as Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006.
Sebastian Vettel wins first Grand Prix with Toro Rosso (2008) — earlier driver development milestones
Toro Rosso (Red Bull junior team) gave Vettel his breakthrough (won 2008 Italian GP); Red Bull's driver development programme produced multiple F1 champions.
Toro Rosso (Minardi) debuted as Red Bull junior F1 team
Minardi rebranded to Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006 to serve as a junior team to Red Bull Racing; later renamed AlphaTauri (2020) and again in 2024.
Started Team Red Bull (NASCAR) operations
Launched Team Red Bull competing in NASCAR Sprint Cup and K&N Pro Series East (team operated roughly 2006–2011).
Bought MetroStars (Major League Soccer, USA)
Acquired the New York MetroStars in March 2006 and rebranded them as the New York Red Bulls.
Founded Media House and Red Bull Brasil
Founded Media House in Austria to provide digital entertainment assets; Red Bull Brasil (football club) was also launched in Campinas in 2007.
Acquired/owned media assets including Seitenblicke and ServusTV
Mateschitz owned Austria's society magazine Seitenblicke and the television channel ServusTV; later controversies about editorial stance arose.
Founded Red Bull Ghana football academy
Established the Red Bull Ghana academy in Sogakope to develop African football talent (academy later sold to Feyenoord in 2014).
Founded RB Leipzig (bought license from SSV Markranstädt)
Purchased the playing license and created RB Leipzig in May 2009; the club started in the Oberliga (5th tier).
Red Bull Racing: First Drivers' and Constructors' Championships (Vettel)
Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship and Red Bull Racing won the Constructors' Championship in 2010 — the team's first world titles.
Red Bull Racing: Back-to-back World Championships (2011)
Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel repeated as Drivers' and Constructors' Champions in 2011.
Employees reported (company milestone)
By 2021 Red Bull reported approximately 13,610 employees (company-size milestone cited in sources); included here as company scale tied to Mateschitz's leadership.
Red Bull Racing investments sustained during Mercedes dominance (2014–2020 lean years)
Red Bull endured a lean period with no constructors' titles during Mercedes' dominance (2014–2020) before resurgence in 2021–22 after technical and engine partnerships evolved.
Red Bull Ring re-opened
After redevelopment of the former A1‑Ring, the circuit re-opened in May 2011 and hosted motorsport events; later returned to the F1 calendar (2014).
Red Bull Racing: Fourth consecutive Constructors' and Drivers' titles (2012–2013 run continues)
Red Bull Racing and Vettel continued dominant results through 2012; the era produced four straight Drivers' and Constructors' championships (2010–2013).
Public profile: known reclusive lifestyle and brand focus
Throughout his career Mateschitz maintained a low personal profile, rarely gave interviews, and avoided celebrity society despite owning high-profile teams and media assets.
Red Bull Racing's first win (2009 Chinese GP) and progression to champions
Key racing milestones included the team's first Grand Prix win in 2009 and subsequent rise to multiple world championships.
Sebastian Vettel fourth consecutive Drivers' Championship (2013 completed run 2010–2013)
Vettel and Red Bull secured four consecutive Drivers' Championships 2010–2013, underscoring Red Bull Racing's peak dominance.
Red Bull Stratos: Felix Baumgartner's near-space skydive
Red Bull‑sponsored Felix Baumgartner jumped from the stratosphere in October 2012, a major global marketing and PR milestone.
Indicated openness to host Austrian Grand Prix again
In December 2012 Red Bull notified the FIA it would be open to hosting a Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring — step toward F1 return in 2014.
Announced return of Austrian Grand Prix for 2014
Red Bull announced in July 2013 that the Austrian Grand Prix would return to the F1 calendar in 2014 at the Red Bull Ring.
Red Bull Ghana academy sold to Feyenoord
The Red Bull Ghana football academy, founded in 2008, was sold to Dutch club Feyenoord in 2014.
Donated €70 million to Paracelsus Medical University (spinal cord research)
Reported personal donation of €70 million to fund a research centre on spinal cord injuries; source mentioned the donation though exact year not firmly stated in all sources.
Wings for Life World Run inaugural/ongoing (foundation event series since 2014)
Wings for Life (co‑founded by Mateschitz) launched the global Wings for Life World Run in 2014 to raise funds for spinal cord research.
RB Leipzig reaches UEFA Champions League semi-finals (2020 milestone — culmination of early investment)
RB Leipzig rose rapidly after its founding in 2009; reached UCL semi-finals in 2020 and won national cups later (2022, 2023) — this entry records the rise tied to Mateschitz's founding investment.
Austrian Grand Prix returned to F1 — first race held 22 June 2014
The Austrian GP returned to the Formula One World Championship at the Red Bull Ring; race won by Nico Rosberg (Mercedes).
RB Leipzig promoted to Bundesliga
RB Leipzig rose from the fifth tier (2009 debut) to the top German Bundesliga, achieving promotion in 2016.
ServusTV shutdown announced then reversed
In May 2016 Mateschitz announced he would shut down ServusTV after employees sought to form a works council — he reversed the decision when no council was formed.
ServusTV given press pass to Defenders of Europe conference criticized
ServusTV — owned by Mateschitz — was one of only three media outlets given a press pass to the Defenders of Europe right-wing conference in Oct 2016, sparking criticism.
Public controversy over political comments
Mateschitz faced backlash after comments suggesting Austria should close its borders to refugees and expressing support for Trump; sparked debate over his media holdings.
Red Bull took control of Clube Atlético Bragantino (Brazil)
In 2019 Red Bull assumed management and ownership stakes in Bragantino, creating Red Bull Bragantino (regional football expansion).
Max Verstappen wins 2021 Drivers' Championship
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the 2021 Formula One World Drivers' Championship (team runner-up in Constructors' that year).
Public estimate of net worth (Oct 2021)
Formula1 reporting cited Mateschitz's net worth at approximately US$25.4 billion in October 2021.
Max Verstappen retains Drivers' Championship; Red Bull wins constructors (2022)
Red Bull and Verstappen claimed top honours in the 2022 season (key modern-era turnaround and end of Mercedes' dominance).
Red Bull global scale & company metrics (public milestone)
By the time of his death Red Bull was marketed in 160+ countries and (reported in sources) had annual sales around US$5 billion; company sold billions of cans annually.
Forbes net worth estimate (April 2022)
Forbes estimated Dietrich Mateschitz's net worth at US$27.4 billion in April 2022.
Died of pancreatic cancer at St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut
Mateschitz died following a long period of treatment for pancreatic cancer on 22 October 2022; he was 78.
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