Lorenzo Servitje

Lorenzo Servitje Sendra, commonly known as Lorenzo Servitje, (November 20, 1918 – February 3, 2017) was a Mexican accountant, businessman magnate, and philanthropist who co-founded Grupo Bimbo, the world's largest bakery company, in 1945 with a group of four business partners, including Jaime Jorba, Jaime Sendra, Alfonso Velasco and José T. Mata.

Servitje is credited with expanding Bimbo from a small, Mexican baking company into a multinational conglomerate that has acquired several more than 100 domestic and international brands, including Thomas', Entenmann's, Stroehmann, Oroweat and Freihofer's.[1][2] Servitje served as Bimbo's president from 1945 to 1981 and remained chairman of its board of directors until 1994.[2]

Servitje was born in Mexico City on November 20, 1918. His father, a baker by profession, had immigrated to Mexico from Catalonia in Spain.[1][2] He co-founded Bimbo in 1945 with just ten delivery vans and thirty-eight employees.[1] By 2017, Bimbo now owns 100 brands in 22 countries. The company reported $10.7 billion in sales in 2015.[1]

Death

Lorenzo Servitje died in Mexico City on February 3, 2017, at the age of 98.[1] He was predeceased by his wife, Carmen Montull, who died in 2002, and survived by eight children, 24 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren.[1][2]

His son, Daniel Servitje Montull, is currently the Chairman and CEO of Grupo Bimbo.[2][3]

Dignitaries in attendance at Servitje's funeral included Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, chairman of Grupo Carso Carlos Slim, and billionaire businessman Alberto Baillères.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mexican bakery king Lorenzo Servitje, who turned Bimbo Bread into international empire, dies at 98". Los Angeles Times. 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Roberts, Sam (2017-02-06). "Lorenzo Servitje, a Founder of the World's Biggest Bakery, Dies at 98". New York Times. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  3. 1 2 Estevez, Dolia (2017-02-06). "Billionaire Carlos Slim And Mexico's Bread Giant Bimbo To Launch A Made-In-Mexico Electric Vehicle". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
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