Katharina List-Nagl
F-List, Lower Austria

What began as a small carpentry workshop in 1950 has since developed into a truly global enterprise, fulfilling a worldwide appetite for luxury interiors in private jets, yachts and homes.

Katharina List-Nagl – the family firm’s third-generation CEO – has always had a passion for carpentry and woodwork, a love that began in childhood as she accompanied her father on trips to source bird’s-eye maple veneer in Switzerland or visit construction sites in Poland. List-Nagl was fully aware of the industry’s challenges: “I used to draw pictures for my dad on his birthday, always depicting him with his head full of thoughts about machinery, staff and customers.” Since taking over in 2017, she adds with a smile, it’s her head that’s full.

F List’s revenue is set to hit €140m ($154m) with more than half that total coming from the aviation sector. And it’s no longer just about wood, as F List works with a broad range of materials. Its Aenigma line, which features decorative panels that mimic the metallic sheen of manta rays, won the 2023 Red Dot Award, while the company has bagged several supplier accolades too. List-Nagl is proud of F List’s achievements yet this determination and desire to experiment seems an integral part of wider Austrian entrepreneurship. As generations change, the vision endures.

Austria’s domestic goods and service exports are expected to exceed the €300bn threshold by 2025.

---

Austria’s key exports

Engineering
Mechanical and automotive engineering top the export volume list 

Electricity
Advancements in hydropower have led to €4.2bn of energy exports

Flavoured water
Austria leads the world with €3.33bn of beverage exports