Karl von der Heyden
Karl von der Heyden | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1936 Berlin, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Known for | Co-Chairman and CEO of RJR Nabisco; CFO of PepsiCo |
Karl von der Heyden is a German-American executive recognized for his prominent leadership positions, including Co-Chairman and CEO of RJR Nabisco, as well as CFO of PepsiCo. His career encompasses numerous high-level roles in finance and corporate governance.
Early life
Born in 1936 in Berlin, Germany, von der Heyden pursued studies at the Free University of Berlin before obtaining his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1962. He further advanced his education by earning an MBA from the Wharton School in 1964.
Career
Von der Heyden launched his professional journey as a management trainee at Berliner Bank AG, subsequently joining Coopers & Lybrand in Philadelphia in 1963. By 1966, he transitioned to Pitney Bowes, where he rose to the position of corporate controller.
In 1980, von der Heyden entered Heinz as vice president of finance and treasurer, eventually serving as senior vice president, CFO, and director. Before his tenure at Heinz, he held significant posts at PepsiCo, including vice president and controller (1974–1977), CFO of Pepsi-Cola Company (1977–1979), and vice president of manufacturing for Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group.
In December 1993, he assumed the role of interim president and CEO at the financially distressed Metallgesellschaft Corp, orchestrating a successful turnaround within seven months. Additionally, he chaired the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Advisory Council (FASAC).
Between 1996 and 2001, von der Heyden was Vice Chairman on the Board of PepsiCo, Inc., rejoining as Vice Chairman and CFO in 1996. His strategic initiatives included divesting restaurant operations, acquiring Tropicana and Quaker Oats, and overseeing the public offering of Pepsi Bottling Group. Prior to this period, he retired from RJR Nabisco in 1993 after serving as co-chairman, CEO, and CFO since 1989.
Philanthropy
Von der Heyden has contributed substantially to Duke University, donating $1 million in 1995 to create the von der Heyden Fellows Program Endowment Fund and $4 million in 2000 aimed at library expansion. The Karl and Mary Ellen von der Heyden Pavilion, completed in 2005 on Duke's West Campus, functions as a central student facility and has been highlighted by Travel + Leisure as one of the nation’s most striking college libraries.
In 2015, he provided $7 million toward a new arts center along with $1 million dedicated to graduate fellowships at Duke. This support led to the establishment of The von der Heyden Family Global Health Fellowship Fund through the Duke Global Health Institute to assist graduate students.
Additional philanthropic activities include founding the Mary Ellen von der Heyden Fellowship in Fiction at the American Academy in Berlin in 2007 and establishing the Mary Ellen von der Heyden Fellowship at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers of the New York Public Library in 2017.
Other
Karl von der Heyden has been honored with several awards such as The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, induction into the Financial Executives International Hall of Fame in 2010, and Duke University's Medal for Distinguished Meritorious Service in 2011.
His board memberships have included major corporations like Huntington Ingalls Industries, Macy's, AstraZeneca, NYSE Euronext, DreamWorks Animation, Aramark, and Cadbury Schweppes. He also served as Co-Chairman of the American Academy in Berlin and held trustee roles at Duke University and the YMCA of Greater New York.
Von der Heyden is the author of the memoir Surviving Berlin, An Oral History, which was also released in Germany under the title Von Berlin Nach New York. He lives in New York City with his wife Mary Ellen and is father to two children and grandfather to five grandchildren.