Gerry Weber co-founder Udo Hardieck dies at 74

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jul 12, 2018

The man who co-founded Gerry Weber, one of the largest clothing companies in Germany, has died aged 74.

The company announced the news on Thursday, saying Udo Hardieck died on Wednesday 11 June after a “serious” illness.

"On behalf of the entire company, I would like to express our deepest regret and condolences. The loss of Udo Hardieck left us deeply saddened. Our thoughts and those of the entire staff are with his family. We remember Udo Hardieck as our company founder, an investor and a committed entrepreneur. Until the very last moment he stood by us as a knowledgeable advisor, reliable partner and long-standing friend,” said co-founder Gerhard Weber and CEO Ralf Weber.

Udo Hardieck founded Gerry Weber, formerly known as Hatex KG, with Gerhard Weber in March 1973. With headquarters in Halle, Germany, the company floated on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in October 1989 and became one of Germany’s top clothing chains.

As a member of the management board, Hardieck was responsible for production, IT and logistics at the international company. He also played a key role in the creation of the Gerry Weber Open, a tennis tournament played in Halle, Westphalia which evolved into an internationally renowned tennis event on the ATP World Tour.

Hardieck and Weber’s vision for a lifestyle brand continued with the construction of a 12,300-seat Gerry Weber Stadion and the Gerry Weber Sportpark Hotel in Halle. These ventures led to the opening of an event venue, the Gerry Weber World.

Udo Hardieck was also a fan of golf, founding the Teutoburger Wald Golf Club in 1990, where he served as president.