Beda Diethelm

Beda Diethelm is Swiss hearing aid manufacturer Sonova's largest individual shareholder, with a 10% stake.

Diethelm joined what would become Sonova in 1965, receiving a chunk of equity from the former owner in 1980.

Sonova has sales of roughly $2.8 billion and is based in Stafa, Switzerland and has production facilities in Vietnam and China.

Born in the tiny village of Galgenen, Switzerland, Diethelm first dabbled in electronics as an apprentice for a radio and TV technician in Zurich.

By 1962, Diethelm had become the head of production and technical director of Bommer, a Zurich company that was a global supplier of hearing aids.