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Michael Mack
German entrepreneur (born 1978) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michael Mack (born December 21, 1978) is a German entrepreneur. He is part of the Mack Family, which owns and runs the German theme park Europa-Park.
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Life
Mack was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, West Germany. He is the son of Roland Mack and his wife Marianne. He has two siblings, Thomas (born January 4, 1981) and Ann-Kathrin (born October 19, 1989).[1][2] Mack completed a tri-national study program from 1999 to 2003 in the field of International Business Management in Basel, Lörrach and Colmar. In 2003, Mack graduated with a degree in Business Administration. During his studies, he completed internships in amusement parks in Germany and all over the world.[3]
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Career
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In 2002, Mack established his first own company, Mack Media. This company creates 3D/4D movies and virtual reality coasters. In 2013, the idea of a virtual rollercoaster was born and resulted in the start-up VR Coaster which was founded in 2015.[4] Its product Coastiality combines virtual reality experiences and rollercoasters. In the same year, the first VR coaster was officially launched in Europa-Park.[5][6]
In 2018, Mack founded MackNext, a creative think-tank working on the fusion of technology and classical entertainment. In 2020, the VR entertainment company Yullbe was launched, offering virtual reality experiences for individuals and groups. He also initiated the Aurea Awards, that took place for the first time in November 2018 and honours VR/AR projects.[7][8] The German weekly magazine Wirtschaftswoche described Mack as a pioneer in the field of virtual reality.[9]
Mack is producer of the German Kids Choice Award (Nickelodeon).[10]
Family business
Mack started his career in the family business in his early youth and, since then, has continuously been working inside the park throughout his childhood.[11][3] Since 2005, Mack is strengthening the cooperation between Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG in Waldkirch and Europa Park. He is also an active part of the management of the Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG as a part of the family business.[12] In addition, since April 2007, he's responsible for Mack Solutions, as well as the strategic business development entertainment and the construction management of the amusement Park.[12][13]
In 2017, he became executive director of Europa-Park. His father, Roland Mack, is still part of the family business.[14][15] In the same year, Mack founded the label Mack Music and soon after the production company Mack Animation.[16] He also started the halloween event Horror Nights - Traumatica for Europa-Park, that won several prizes at the Scarecon.[17]
Projects in the context of Franco-German relations
Mack attracted attention by planning a cable car across the Rhine to France.[18][19] This cable car is primarily designed to relieve traffic and contribute to a possible reduction of the required parking areas.[19][20] He has met with the French President Emmanuel Macron and the minister president of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann to talk about the project, and the plans were publicly announced in 2018.[21][22] However, after nature conservation organisations opposed the idea, plans for the cable car were put on hold and have since not been revisited.[23]
In August 2018 Mack became French Honorary Consul. He received the exequatur from the ambassador of France, Anne-Marie Descôtes.[24]
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Public reception
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Awards and memberships
Mack is a member of the European board of International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and of the board of Governors of the Liseberg Applause Award.[6]
In 2016, Capital magazine listed Michael Mack among “Germany’s Top 40 under 40” and honoured him as an influential young entrepreneur. In the same year, Mack received the Campden FB Award in the category Top Next-Generation Entrepreneur, which is awarded by the British business magazine Campden FB and the French private bank Société Générale.[25]
In 2017, the VR coaster in Europa-Park in combination with the Coastiality app received the Deutschen Computerspielpreis, an award which is given by Verband der deutschen Games-Branche e.V. and German Bundestag.[26] In 2020, Mack was voted Hotel Manager of the Year.[27] Mack has also been included in the Blooloop 50, an annually published list of notable theme park industry influencers, for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021.[28]
Mack was voted Innovator of the Year by the German business magazine Die Deutsche Wirtschaft in 2020.[29] In 2023, he was honoured by the German Zunft der Fasnetrufer e.V., one of the oldest Freiburg carnival guilds, for his function as French Honorary Consul, his commitment to the Franco-German friendship and as organiser of the Horror Nights and Yullbe.[30]
On January 28, 2025, Michael Mack received the highest French national honour that can be awarded to non-French citizens. At the Élysée Palace in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron presented him with the 'L'ordre national de la Légion d'honneur' in recognition of his commitment to Franco-German cooperation.[31]
Covid-19 Tweet
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mack's sharing of a political right-wing podcast and commentary on the federal government's crisis management on Twitter caused public irritation, after which Mack deleted the corresponding tweet and publicly apologised.[32][33]
References
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