Maximilian Riedel

Maximilian Josef Riedel (born in Vienna, Austria on September 13, 1977) is an Austrian glassmaker and businessman. He is the 11th-generation CEO and President of Riedel (glass manufacturer), a glassware manufacturer established in 1756 and best known for its production of grape variety-specific glassware designed to enhance types of wines based on specific properties of individual grape varieties. Riedel is best known for designing the world’s first variety-specific stemless wine glasses (the Riedel “O” Series) in 2004, expanding the company to international markets and developing double-decanting technology, which achieves hours of decanting in a matter of minutes.

Maximilian Josef Riedel was born in 1977 to Georg Riedel and Eva Riedel in Vienna, Austria, 400 km from Riedel Crystal headquarters in Kufstein, Austria. He has an older sister named Laetizia Riedel-Rothlisberger.

In 1995, at age 18, Maximilian Riedel served eight months in the Austria Bundesheer where he was involved in humanitarian work. At 18 he also began apprenticing his father Georg Riedel at Riedel Crystal, who had learned glassmaking and the family business from his father, Claus J Riedel, the first to discover that the shape, size and color of glassware affect how we enjoy wine, and developer of the world’s first-ever variety-specific glasses in 1958. He trained in sales and administration.

In 1997, at age 20, Maximilian Riedel joined Riedel Crystal and was in charge of development and finance while also working in the company’s advertising office.

In the late 1990s, Maximilian Riedel introduced Riedel Crystal to the Dubai market, and spent two years in Paris at Riedel’s French importer, Ercuis, where he managed sales and conducted Riedel comparative glassware tastings. While there he also researched how he could help build the brand and increase sales.

In 2000, at the age of 23, Riedel moved to the United States to become the Executive Vice President of Riedel Crystal’s North American branch. In 2002, at age 25, Maximilian Riedel became CEO of Riedel Crystal of North America. In his time as CEO of Riedel Crystal of North America, he was able to quadruple the company’s sales in the United States and Canada while also making the continent Riedel’s largest export market. Maximilian Riedel assisted in the company’s growth by creating partnerships with Celebrity Cruises, Lindt, and Miele,which introduced the brand to new consumer segments.

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