Gunther Fielmann is the founder, major shareholder, and chief executive officer of Fielmann AG who has an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion as of December 2015 according to Forbes. He is also the 28th richest person in Germany and is ranked 437th in the list of World Billionaires.

Fielmann earned his estimated net worth of $3.1 billion when he opened his first optometry shop in Cuxhaven, Germany in 1972. Today, Fielmann AG owns Europe’s largest chain of optical stores which sells discounted eyeglasses in 671 shops across Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland.

Guenther Fielman serves as the chief executive officer of the company which he took public in 1994. In 2002, he bought Plon Castle from the state of Schleswig-Holstein which he had renovated intensively.  He is a state-approved master optometrist and trains his optometrists in the castle.

Fielmann owns 71% share of the company along with his children. Over the past year, the value of his shares has risen in value and his net worth has grown by $500 million. When the time comes that he will step down, he wants his son Marc to take over the company. He is one committed environmentalist. For every employee that he has, he plants a tree for them. He also owns an organic farm which is roughly 1,600 hectares large manor Schierensee, 470 hectares large manor Marutendorf in Achterwehr, 180 hectares large farm Mogln in Krummwich, and a farm in Lutjensee. His organic products are sold under the brand Hof Lutjensee.