A lexandre Grendene Bartelle is a Brazilian billionaire who, along with his twin brother Pedro, co-founded Grendene, one of the world's largest manufacturers of synthetic footwear. The brothers started their business in the 1970s in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, initially producing plastic packaging for wine bottles. They soon pivoted to footwear, applying their expertise in plastic injection molding to create innovative and affordable sandals.

The company's major breakthrough came with the launch of its Melissa and Rider brands. Melissa, known for its colorful and fashion-forward plastic shoes (often called "jellies"), became a cultural phenomenon and collaborated with high-profile designers. Rider became a popular brand of casual sandals. Grendene grew into a massive, publicly traded company, exporting its products worldwide. While his brother Pedro is no longer a shareholder, Alexandre remains the company's largest individual shareholder and chairman, having built a footwear empire from a small plastic molding business.