Origins & Early Life

Nicolas George Hayek (19 February 1928 – 28 June 2010) was a Lebanese-Swiss businessman, and the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Swatch Group. Hayek was born the second of three children to a Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christian family. His father trained as a dentist at Loyola University Chicago. He had an older sister, Mona, and a younger brother, Sam.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Hayek studied at the University of Lyon. Hayek met Marianne Mezger, an au pair and the daughter of Swiss industrialist Eduard Mezger, in Beirut in 1950. They married in 1951 and moved to Switzerland. They had two children, Nayla and G. Nicolas "Nick" Jr.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1964, the family moved to Meisterschwanden, a village west of Zürich. Hayek lived there for the rest of his life. In the year of his death, 2010, Hayek had an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion. Hayek worked as an actuary for Swiss Re, before briefly managing his ailing father-in-law's engineering company. Hayek founded Hayek Engineering, a management consulting firm, in Zürich in 1963. In the early 1980s a group of Swiss banks asked Hayek to oversee the...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Agnès Varda — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Alan J. Pakula — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
• Alexander Bogdanov — Contemporary (Died in 1928) (1928): Polymath philosopher, pioneer of blood transfusion, and key Bolshevik revolutionary.
• Benoit Mandelbrot — Contemporary (Died in 2010) (2010): Pioneering mathematician known for fractal geometry and the 'theory of roughness'.
• Blake Edwards — Contemporary (Died in 2010) (2010): Versatile American filmmaker known for comedies, dramas, and the Pink Panther series.
• BTS — Contemporary (Born in 2010) (2010): Global South Korean boy band known for lyrical depth on self-love and mental health.
• André Gide — Shared historical date (02-19 · Died) (1951): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• Benicio del Toro — Shared historical date (02-19 · Born) (1967): Esteemed Puerto Rican actor known for intense, versatile performances.
• Alessandro Nivola — Shared historical date (06-28 · Born) (1972): Versatile American actor known for film and stage work, building a notable career.
• Demarai Gray — Shared historical date (06-28 · Born) (1996): Professional footballer known for his winger role and international representation for Jamaica.
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• February 19 (02-19) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 19
• 2010 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2010
• June 28 (06-28) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 28