Michele Ferrero: The Richest Man in Italy
Michele Ferrero, the owner of Ferrero SpA, was the richest man in Italy with a net worth of $25 billion. He inherited the chocolate maker in the 1950s and turned it into the fourth-largest manufacturer of chocolate and confectionery products in the world. Ferrero was responsible for brands such as Nutella, Tic Tacs, Ferrero Rocher, Mon Cheri, Kinder Chocolate, and Kinder Eggs.
Despite his immense wealth, Ferrero was known for being very secretive and rarely seen in public without sunglasses. He passed away on February 14, 2015, leaving his two sons in charge of the company. Today, Ferrero SpA operates more than 70 affiliated companies, has 15 production plants, and nearly 22,000 employees worldwide.