Michele Ferrero (born 26 April 1925) is the owner of the eponymous chocolate maker Ferrero SpA, one of Europe's largest with estimated 2012 sales of $19 billion.
Ferrero, who was born in Dogliani, Italy, is Italy's richest person, with a personal wealth of $19 billion, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi in March 2008. As of October 2012, The Bloomberg Billionaires Index lists Ferrero as the 23rd richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of U.S. 22 billion.
Brands include Nutella, Mon Chéri, Kinder Chocolate, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tacs and Kinder Eggs.
Since 1997, his sons, Giovanni Ferrero and Pietro Ferrero have led the company. Pietro died on 18 April 2011 in an accident in South Africa.