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Mr. Jacobs' involvement with the Human Resource (HR) services industry began in 1992, with the acquisition of Adia Personnel Services, a European leader in staffing, where he spearheaded the company's transformation into the global leader in HR Services and a Global Fortune 500 Company following the merger with Ecco in 1996.
Prior to this, Mr. Jacobs forged a career in the global coffee and chocolates industries. In 1962, he became Director of Purchasing and Marketing for the then family-owned Jacobs AG coffee business. In 1972, Mr. Jacobs became General Manager of the company, leading the ambitious expansion of its European operations. Under his leadership the company merged with Interfood in 1982 to create Jacobs Suchard AG, Europe's number one chocolate and coffee enterprise. When the consumer-oriented elements of Jacobs Suchard were sold to Philip Morris in 1990, Jacobs founded Barry Callebaut, representing the non-consumer interests of Jacobs Suchard, a company that has since grown to become the world's leading producer of high-quality cocoa, chocolate and confectionary products.
In addition to his business interests, Mr. Jacobs has long been involved in philanthropic activities. In 1998, he founded the Jacobs Foundation, an international non-profit organization that funds youth job training programs, giving young people the opportunity to make a positive contribution to society.
Mr. Jacobs was also Chairman of the World Scout Foundation from 1996 until 1998. He is also passionate about environmental protection issues and co-founded the association, "Friends of the Hohe Tauern National Park" in Austria, an organization for which he served as President from 1996-98. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Zurich Opera House and a member of the Board of the Association of the "Friends of Bayreuth".
However, Mr. Jacobs' dedication and vision for a better world is best exemplified by his decision in 2001 to transfer his entire fortune to the charitable Jacobs Foundation.
Mr. Jacobs was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1936. He was educated in Germany and at Stanford University, USA. Now a Swiss citizen, Mr. Jacobs lives in England with his wife, and has six children. In his spare time, Mr. Jacobs is a keen sportsman and also enjoys reading, opera and classical music. | 