Michele Ferrero (Italian pronunciation: [miˈkɛːle ferˈrɛːro]) (26 April 1925 – 14 February 2015) was the owner of the eponymous chocolate maker Ferrero SpA, one of Europe's largest with estimated 2012 sales of $19 billion.

Known for Brands including

 Nutella, Mon Chéri, Kinder Chocolate, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tacs, Kinder Eggs

Spouse - Maria Franca Fissolo

Children - Pietro  (deceased), Giovanni

Parents -  Piera Cillario, Pietro Ferrero

Early life

Michele Ferrero was born in Dogliani, the son of Pietro Ferrero, who founded the Ferrero company, and his wife, Piera Cillario.

Career

He joined the company in 1949.

He was the richest person in Italy, with a personal wealth of $26 billion, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi in March 2008. As of May 2014, The Bloomberg Billionaires Index lists Ferrero as the 20th richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of US$ 26 billion.

Brands include Nutella, Mon Chéri, Kinder Chocolate, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tacs and Kinder Eggs.

Since 1997, his sons, Giovanni Ferrero and Pietro Ferrero, have led the company. Pietro died on 18 April 2011 in an accident in South Africa.

Ferrero died on 14 February 2015 in Monaco at the age of 89.

Personal life

He and his wife Maria Franca Fissolo had two sons, Giovanni Ferrero and Pietro Ferrero Jr..

He was a fervent Catholic, and company executives have said that he went to the Lourdes shrine at least annually, and that there is a statue of the Madonna in every Ferrero factory and office.