Johanna Quandt is the billionaire widow of industrialist Herbert Quandt, who resurrected BMW from bankruptcy.

Fortune Business Country Status 5.4 Billion BMW Germany Widowed, 2 Children

She was born Johanna Bruhn in 1929. She became a secretary in Herbert's office in the 1950s and eventually became his personal assistant. She married Herbert in 1960. The current board members at BMW include the two children of this marriage Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten.

Johanna retired from BMW's supervisory board in 1997. She now lives quietly in Bad Homburg but still owns 16.7% of BMW. (wiki)