Georg Schaeffler
Auto parts · Herzogenaurach
Net worth
$15.3B
Today
+$147M+0.97%Past month
+$222M+1.47%As of Nov 11, 2026, 1:50 PM EST
Georg Schaeffler and his billionaire mother, Maria-Elisabeth, own Schaeffler Group, one of the world's largest producers of ball bearings and machine components. In 2009, he joined his mother. She'd been running Schaeffler after the death of her husband, Wilhelm, who founded the firm with his brother in 1946. A year before, the company took over tire and auto parts giant Continental AG in a $15-billion, debt-financed deal. In the wake of the financial crisis, it seemed the high-wire act might fail. But as the auto market rebounded, Continental's share price soared. Georg and Maria-Elisabeth's combined 46% stake in Continental accounts for most of their wealth.
Net worth over time
Principal holdings
3 positions| Company | Industry | Share | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
Continental AG XETRA: CON-DE | Automotive | 39.5% | $6.0B |
Private and other holdings | Automotive | 37.6% | $5.8B |
Schaeffler AG XETRA: SHA0-DE | Automotive | 22.9% | $3.5B |
Also known for
- Georg used to practice business law in Dallas. Colleagues only learned of his wealthy background after he first appeared on the Forbes list in 2003.
- Georg, who owns 80% of Schaeffler Group, leads a quiet life in the U.S., while Maria-Elisabeth, with 20%, lives in the tony Austrian ski resort town of Kitzbuehel.
“A little bit of luck is also part of it [the success of the Continental AG takeover]. But as you know, fortune favors the brave.”