The Porsche empire began with Ferdinand Porsche’s idea of founding a company. This idea took shape in April 1931 when “Dr Ing. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche GesmbH, Konstruktionsbüro für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau” (Dr Engineer honoris causa Ferdinand Porsche Ltd, design office for engine and vehicle construction) was entered into the Stuttgart register of companies. Although the company only began to experience growth sixteen years after its establishment as a result of the production of the Porsche 356 and licence payments from the production of the Volkswagen, it was nevertheless a child of the early 1930s.

Important for this business success story was, on one hand, the fusion of the personalities of Ferdinand Porsche with his confidante Karl Rabe into a single technical leadership unit, and on the other, Porsche’s outstanding managerial qualities, which were reflected in the elitist line-up of Porsche’s engineering-team and the great loyalty of his employees to the company and in Porsche’s extraordinary skill in gaining profitable contracts by means of efficient public relations work.

Without exception Porsche’s staff consisted of highly talented men, who through their talents and variety of ideas remained in Porsche’s mind in the course of his work as technical director at various car companies. All of his employees were experienced specialists in their own particular fields whom he successfully wooed from high-ranking management posts at old well-established companies, even though the move was a financial risk; when Porsche established his company he had neither adequate capital or the guarantee of success at his disposal.

Porsche inspired his team to first-class technical achievements on the basis of friendly and fatherly mutual trust, which in turn positively strengthened the belief in realising success and team spirit. Porsche’s employees would have done anything for their boss.

Until his death in 1951 Professor Porsche was the CEO of Porsche GesmbH. In addition to Porsche’s son Ferry and family member Ghislane Kaes, the following men were members of the Porsche design office, which was founded in 1931: Adolf Rosenberger, Karl Rabe, Josef Kales, Walter Boxan, Karl Fröhlich, Josef Zahradnik, Josef Goldfinger (driver), Franz Sieberer (copier) Franz Xaver Reimspieß, Otto Zadnik, Josef Mickl and Erwin Komenda.