Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation

Martin Haefner is the owner of Switzerland's largest car importer Amag and an investor. Keystone-SDA

Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.

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The non-profit Martin+Marianne Haefner Foundation based in Zurich is part of their succession planning, Haefner spokesperson Aloys Hirzel told the news agency AWP on Tuesday confirming an earlier article in the Luzerner Zeitung.

“The foundation will one day hold all company shares,” said Hirzel.

However, this will only be the case when neither of them is still alive, the newspaper said.

“The assets of the Haefner couple, including the company holdings, will only be held by the foundation after the death of the two founders,” Hirzel stressed.

Martin Haefner will be 70 years old in 2024. In addition to Amag, the former mathematics teacher owns shares in industrial companies such as Swiss Steel, Autoneum and Rieter.

For charitable purposes

According to the commercial register, the foundation was established in mid-December 2024. The chair of the board of trustees is the chair of the board of directors of Zurich Airport, Josef Felder, who has been on the board of directors of Amag for many years and is its vice chair.

The foundation’s assets are to be used for charitable purposes, primarily in Switzerland, in four areas of activity: science and technology, combatting absolute poverty, culture and biodiversity of flora and fauna.

According to the commercial register, the main focus of donations will be on science and technology as well as combatting poverty and promoting women.

Adapted from German by DeepL/sb

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