Hans Anders Rausing (25 March 1926 – 30 August 2019) was a Swedish entrepreneur and benefactor who rose to become one of the wealthiest individuals globally. Together with his sibling Gad, Hans transformed Tetra Pak into an international corporation during the 1970s and 1980s. In the early 1980s, he relocated to the United Kingdom to reduce his tax obligations in Sweden. In 1995, he divested his 50% stake in Tetra Pak to Gad for approximately £7 billion (around £15–£18 billion today, considering inflation). Upon his passing in 2019, Forbes assessed the Rausing family’s total wealth at $12 billion.
Here are several important details about Hans Rausing:
| Full Name | Hans Anders Rausing |
| Date of Birth | 25 March 1926 |
| Date of Death | 30 August 2019 |
| Age at Death | 93 years |
| Birthplace | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Wife | Märit Rausing (married 1952 – his demise in 2019) |
| Children | Three: Lisbet Rausing, Sigrid Rausing, Hans Kristian Rausing |
| Net Worth at Death (2019) | $12 billion (family estimate combined) |
| Primary Source of Wealth | Co-inheritance and growth of Tetra Pak |
| Major Philanthropy | Medical research (Karolinska Institutet, Lund University), endangered languages (Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project at SOAS), community initiatives in Sussex |
Hans Rausing Biography Update
Hans Rausing was born on 25 March 1926 in Gothenburg, Sweden, as the second son of Ruben Rausing and Elisabeth Varenius. He had two siblings, Gad and Sven. The family’s wealth originated from Ruben’s establishment of Tetra Pak in 1951, which provided a groundbreaking method of packaging milk and other liquids to allow shelf storage without refrigeration. Hans studied economics, statistics, and Russian at Lund University and completed his degree in 1948.
In 1954, Hans stepped into the role of managing director at Tetra Pak, while Gad was appointed deputy managing director. Hans assumed the chairmanship in 1985. Collectively, they transformed Tetra Pak from a modest family enterprise into a dominant force in liquid-food packaging. Hans was instrumental in expanding operations into the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, facilitating the inaugural export of Tetra Pak machinery to the USSR in 1959 and subsequently making Tetra Pak the leading foreign employer in Russia.
In the early 1980s, Hans moved to the United Kingdom to mitigate his Swedish taxes. He resided at Wadhurst Park, a vast estate in East Sussex, until his passing. In 1995, he divested his 50% stake in Tetra Pak to his brother Gad for about £7 billion, marking one of the largest private transactions of that time. Following the sale, Hans exited the business and directed his focus towards philanthropy.
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Hans and his spouse Märit donated hundreds of millions towards medical research at institutions such as Karolinska Institutet and Lund University. They also supported the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project at SOAS, the Hans Rausing Chair in the History of Science at Uppsala University, and community initiatives in Sussex through their foundation. Their daughter Lisbet’s Arcadia Fund further aids the Endangered Languages Project and other scholarly endeavors.
Hans received an honorary doctorate from Lund University. He served as a visiting professor at Mälardalen University and was an honorary professor at the University of Dubna in Russia. In 2006, he was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). Additionally, he held the title of honorary fellow at the Isaac Newton Institute in Cambridge and was also an honorary freeman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers in London.
Hans Rausing passed away on 30 August 2019 at the age of 93 in his residence at Wadhurst Park, East Sussex. His estate and family wealth, divided among his offspring, have remained stable, with no significant legal disputes or alterations reported from 2020 to 2026. The Rausing family continues to be among Europe’s wealthiest, and Tetra Laval, Tetra Pak’s parent corporation, persists in generating billions annually.
Age
Hans Rausing was born on 25 March 1926 and passed away on 30 August 2019 at the age of 93.
Family
Hans Rausing was wed to Märit Rausing (née Holm) from 1952 until his passing in 2019. Märit, born in 1935, was a benefactor who shared Hans’s passion for medical research, education, and community support. After relocating to the UK in the 1980s, they primarily resided at Wadhurst Park in East Sussex.
They had three offspring:
- Lisbet Rausing (born 1960) – philanthropist and co-founder of the Arcadia Fund; supports endangered languages and academic research.
- Sigrid Rausing (born 1962) – anthropologist, publisher (Granta Books), and benefactor through her own foundation.
- Hans Kristian Rausing (born 1963) – businessman; has encountered personal and legal challenges but remains active in family investments.
The family has maintained a discreet profile, managing their fortune via trusts and holdings in Tetra Laval and other investments. There have been no significant family disputes or transformations reported since Hans’s passing.
Wife
Hans Rausing’s spouse was Märit Rausing (née Holm) born in 1935. They wed in 1952 and remained together for 67 years until Hans’s death in 2019. Märit collaborated with Hans on philanthropic efforts, co-establishing the Märit and Hans Rausing Fund to support community initiatives in Sussex, UK. She also backed medical and cultural programs in Sweden and Britain. Following Hans’s demise, Märit has led a quite private life, with no public announcements or significant activities reported from 2020 to 2026.
Death & Facts
Hans Rausing passed away on 30 August 2019 at his residence, Wadhurst Park in East Sussex, England, at the age of 93. The formal cause of death was not disclosed, and the family requested privacy. He is survived by his wife Märit, his three children (Lisbet, Sigrid, and Hans Kristian), and several grandchildren.
Some notable facts about Hans Rausing:
- He co-inherited and contributed to the growth of Tetra Pak into a world leader in aseptic packaging.
- He relocated to the UK in the early 1980s to lessen his Swedish tax burden.
- He sold his 50% interest in Tetra Pak to his sibling Gad in 1995 for an estimated £7 billion.
- He contributed hundreds of millions to medical research at Karolinska Institutet and Lund University, to endangered languages through the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project at SOAS, and to community initiatives in Sussex.
- The family’s wealth was approximated at $12 billion at the time of his passing in 2019 and remains among Europe’s largest in 2026.
- He supported the UK Conservative Party with financial contributions between 2001 and 2012.
- Lived at Wadhurst Park, a sizable estate in East Sussex, for the majority of his years in the UK.
