Richard Oetker
Fashion & Retail

Richard Oetker Net Worth

Richard Oetker is one of eight billionaire beneficiaries of the Oetker fortune, which was built on baking and pudding powder by his grandfather August Oetker in 1891. Rudolf August Oetker, a former Nazi SS officer, was the driving force behind the company's success after World War II, and by 1950, the company was producing 750 million packages of baking and pudding powder. The company has since diversified into beverages, container shipping, financial services and luxury hotels. Upon Rudolf August's death in 2007, the company was split into two camps between the children from his first two marriages and those from his third marriage. Richard Oetker was crowned general partner in 2010, and in 2015, the two groups agreed to recruit an outside CEO when Richard retires in 2017. Richard, like his father and brother August, is a lover of classic cars.
Richard Oetker is a member of Fashion & Retail

Age, Biography and Wiki

Birth Day January 04, 1951
Birth Place Bielefeld, Germany, Germany
Age 72 YEARS OLD
Birth Sign Aquarius
Occupation heir and businessman
Title CEO, Dr. Oetker
Term 2010-
Parent(s) Rudolf August Oetker (1916-2007) Susanne Jantsch (1922-2012)

💰 Net worth: $2.7 Billion (2024)

Richard Oetker, a prominent figure in the Fashion & Retail industry in Germany, is projected to have a staggering net worth of $2.7 billion in 2024. Throughout his successful career, Oetker has made significant contributions to the growth and development of the fashion and retail sectors, solidifying his position as a highly influential entrepreneur. With his wealth, Richard Oetker has not only achieved personal success but also facilitated economic prosperity through job creation and investments in the industry. As one of the wealthiest individuals in Germany, Oetker's net worth serves as a testament to his exceptional entrepreneurial prowess and impactful ventures within the fashion and retail sectors.

2014 $1.65 Billion
2015 $1.3 Billion
2016 $2.1 Billion
2017 $2 Billion
2018 $2.39 Billion

Biography/Timeline

1916

He was born in Bielefeld to Rudolf August Oetker (1916-2007) and Susanne Jantsch (1922-2012); his siblings are August Oetker the Younger, Bergit Countess Douglas, and Christian Oetker. He read agronomy and brewing at the Technical University of Munich and has held various positions at Dr. Oetker since 1981, the year his Father retired as CEO. He has been married twice and has two children.

1976

On 14 December 1976, the 25-year-old student was kidnapped by 34-year-old Dieter Zlof, a Slovene-born mechanic who locked him into a crate and linked his feet and wrists to manacles that would give him electric shocks if he screamed or tried to break out. While Oetker was 1.94 m tall, the crate was 1.45 m long and 70 cm wide. In the early hours of 15 December, a noise sparked off a near fatal shock that broke Oetker’s thighs and two of his ribs as he thumped against the crate. His screams prolonged the shocks by ten seconds, and the pain was such that he briefly longed for death.

1979

He was freed for DM21 million, the highest ransom then paid in Germany. The abduction had lasted 47 hours by the time he was found in an Opel Commodore on 16 December. Zlof was arrested on 30 January 1979 on circumstantial evidence. Though he did not plead guilty, he received the maximum penalty – fifteen years in prison – on 9 June 1980.

1994

Oetker still suffers from the injuries he sustained in the crate. He spent four years on crutches, had several operations until 1994, and relearned to stand and walk. His lung had also been damaged as a result of his squatting inside the crate for hours on end.

1997

In May 1997, Zlof, who had buried the ransom in a forest around 30 km southeast of Munich, went to England to swap mouldy banknotes worth DM12.5 million for usable money. The rest had mouldered away in its cache. He was re-arrested, served out a two-year sentence, and confessed to the kidnapping in a 1997 autobiography which was written by his barrister’s wife.

2001

The 2001 film Dance with the Devil (German: Der Tanz mit dem Teufel) revolves around Oetker’s ransom. It stars Sebastian Koch as Richard Oetker, Tobias Moretti as investigator Helmut Bauer (who the script renames Georg Kufbach), and Christoph Waltz as Dieter Cilov. Zlof’s name was altered for legal reasons.

Some Richard Oetker images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.