Alex Birkenstock, born in 1968, is a co-heir and fourth-generation member of the legendary German family that founded the Birkenstock footwear company. His legacy traces back to 1774, when the family business began in Germany, eventually pioneering the invention of the contoured footbed by his great-grandfather in the early 1900s.

Alex grew up steeped in this heritage of natural wellness, quality craftsmanship, and generational continuity. He is the brother of Christian and Stephan Birkenstock, and his generation inherited the responsibility of the traditional shoe company. However, his personal interests and eventual lifestyle often diverge from the functional, practical image of the famous sandal brand.

Alex Birkenstock's career within the family business was defined by a long period of shared ownership with his two brothers. For decades, the brothers jointly steered the traditional shoe company, maintaining its dedication to the original orthopedic concept. In 2007, the complex family structure underwent a formal separation, where the brothers divided the company’s sales and management responsibilities, with Alex often focusing on the wholesale and sales divisions.

The pivotal moment that transformed the family's inherited stake into massive, liquid wealth was the 2021 sale of a majority stake in the company to L Catterton (a private equity firm backed by LVMH billionaire Bernard Arnault). This transaction, which valued the company at approximately €4 billion ($4.9 billion), secured Alex Birkenstock's billionaire status and provided immense liquidity, allowing him and his brothers to step back from daily management and focus on wealth management and personal pursuits.

While the Birkenstock company’s ethos is rooted in health, wellness, and environmental sustainability (using natural cork and jute), Alex Birkenstock’s personal philanthropic activities are kept highly private, consistent with the discreet nature of inherited European wealth.

The family’s collective legacy rests on their long-term stewardship of the brand, which brought an affordable, orthopedic-focused, healthy product to the masses. His post-sale activities focus on managing generational wealth and supporting cultural institutions and causes that align with his personal interests in art and design, often pursued without public announcement.