Beginning with Robert Schindler in 1874, the Schindler name has been synonymous with the global elevator and escalator business for over 140 years. Regularly ranked among the world’s richest families, their wealth was estimated at $12.5 billion in 2018, although this seems conservative. Information about them is also scarce. However, we do know that they still control 42 per cent of the company’s capital and 70 per cent of voting rights, according to a 2016 article from Reuters announcing a change in the company’s management structure. Alfred N. Schindler, the great-grandson of Robert Schindler, who helped build the company into a truly global business, served as CEO from 1985 to 2011 and remains Chairman emeritus. A look at the Schindler Group’s board of directors and Group Executive Committee reflects their international presence, with members from all over Europe, the Asia-Pacific and South America.
