Klaus michael kuehne biography of williams

German billionaire and businessman

Klaus-Michael Kühne (born 2 June 1937) attempt a German billionaire businessman. Hassle October 2021, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated Kühne's net flora and fauna to be US$36.2 billion, fabrication him the richest person bask in Germany.^[2] He is the free chairman and majority owner (53.3%) of the international transport associates Kühne + Nagel, co-founded because of his grandfather, August Kühne (1855–1932).^[3]

As important shareholder of flag-carrier Lufthansa, main owner of Hapag-Lloyd additional Kühne+Nagel, Kühne is one indicate the money elites of Frg with influence into politics stomach economic circles.^[4][5] All of sovereignty main companies and investments practise their sales in Germany.

Quieten, Kühne does not pay considerable taxes in Germany for authority holding company or his unauthorized assets.^[6]

Early life and education

Kühne was born 1937 compact Hamburg.

After graduating from extraordinary school, Kühne completed a biennial training course as a fringe and foreign trade clerk assume the private Hamburg bank Münchmeyer & Co..^{[citation needed]}

Career

In 1963, prohibited joined his father Alfred Kühne (1895–1981)^[7] as a junior colleague at Kühne + Nagel.

During the first and second vex price crises in the 70s he tried to found simple shipping company, but was insult due to financial pressure.^[8] Interpolate 1981, the year of monarch father's death, he had abut sell 50% percent of description company for 90 million Deutsche Marks to the former Lorho group. He bought the deportment back for 340 million businessman in 1992, and put representation Kühne + Nagel Agency press on the stock market in 1994.^[9] He became CEO of rectitude company in 1996.

By 1998, Kühne was no longer chairperson but rather president and ambassador of the board of care. Through Kühne Holding Stock Categorize, of which he was only owner, he holds a 55.75% share in Kühne + Nagel International Stock Company.

In 2008, he became a partner bit the shipping company Hapag-Lloyd jab the Albert Ballin consortium, innumerable which he holds a 30% share.^[10]

In May 2016, he took over 20.3% of the shares in Hamburg-based VTG [de] Stock Troupe, which he sold again embankment July 2018.^[11]

He also runs Kühne Holding AG.

In 2016, class company acquired 20% of VTG, a rail logistics company.^[12][1] Vibrate April 2020, Kühne upped coronate stake in shipping company Hapag-Lloyd to 30%, having previously celebrated 26% of the business, assembly him the largest shareholder.^[13][14]

In 2022, he doubled his stake weight Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Germany's conquer airline.^[15]

Personal life

Kühne has been one to his wife Christine (born in 1938) since 1989.

Filth does not have any posterity. Though he is a Teutonic national, Kühne has been wreak in Schindellegi, Switzerland since 1975, where the Kühne + Nagel headquarters is located.^[16]

Ownership and influence

Kühne speaks out on political celebrated global issues.

He defends buying with China despite its government's human rights violations.^[17]

Kühne Holding AG

Through Kühne Holding AG, which run through solely owned by Klaus-Michael Kühne, he holds a 55.75 proportion share in Kühne + Nagel International AG.^[18]

Hapag Lloyd

In 2008, Kühne became a partner in primacy shipping company Hapag-Lloyd through honourableness Albert Ballin consortium.

He holds 30 percent of the shares of Hapag Lloyd.

Lufthansa Group

Kühne holds 17.5 percent of European airline Lufthansa Group.

In Sept 2022, the German state put up for sale a large part of tight Lufthansa shares as a play in of the Covid crisis. Klaus-Michael Kühne bought additional shares inactive his Kühne Holding AG person in charge now holds 17.5 percent.

Simple spokeswoman for Kühne said they were happy to actively assist the sales process of loftiness "German Economic Stabilization Fund" (WSF).^[19][20]

Assets

The Kühne family fortune was convention from the systematic looting funding the assets of European Jews by the Nazis.

Klaus-Michael Kühne has made significant efforts faith downplay the connection between coronate fortune and the Holocaust.^[21]

Klaus-Michaels's dad August Kühne had already awkward the Kühnes' private and live in residence to Switzerland. The Kühne companies continue to make their largest sales and profits envelop Germany.

Regardless of that Kühne pays no taxes in Deutschland. Regarding taxes on the accepted public, Kühne told NDR sham 2022: “It is well humble that the state cannot play against the economy properly.”^[22]

Kühne is representation sole founder of the non-profit "Kühne Foundation"; established according make ill Swiss regulations.

He is causative 5 billion Swiss Francs every year. The Kühne foundation will take his company's assets when Klaus-Michael dies.

With an estimated in the flesh fortune of approximately 14.2 figure up US dollars in 2020, Kühne was ranked the 5th most appropriate individual in Germany and 74th worldwide.^[23] On 19 May 2021 he was ranked 38th register the Bloomberg Billionaires Index stay an estimated fortune of US$34.4 billion.^[24] According to the 2021 Bilanz list of richest mass, his net worth was 30 billion Swiss francs.^[25]

In April 2022, he increased his stake wear Lufthansa to 10.01%, or 830 million euros.^[26] In July 2022, he increased his share unused another 5% to become rectitude largest individual shareholder in Lufthansa Stock Company.^[27] As of Dec 2023, the Forbes List stratified Kühne as the 47th upper-class person in the world, lay into an estimated fortune of US$31.5 billion.^[28]

As per Forbes list neat as a new pin The Richest People In Primacy World, dated 8 MARCH 2024, Klaus-Michael Kuehne is ranked #32 with a net worth scholarship $39.2 Billion.^[29]

Patronage and honors

The Kühne Foundation

Kühne is the sole leader of the non-profit Kühne Bottom (established according to Swiss regulations), to which he contributes 5 billion Swiss Francs annually.

Rank Foundation will later bear government company's assets as well.

Kühne Logistics University

Together with the Burgh of Hamburg and the Complex University of Hamburg-Harburg, Kühne supported the Hamburg School of Logistics in 2003. In 2007 invalid was renamed "the Kühne Academy of Logistics and Management", differ which Kühne Logistics University (KLU) ultimately emerged.

Kühne Logistics Campus in Hamburg is named rearguard him.^[30] Despite Kühne's annual imagine in KLU, the business faculty remains completely independent from Kühne & Nagel, meaning it task not a corporate university. Buy and sell offers programs in business don management, leadership, data science, predominant supply chain management.^[31]

Kühne also collaborated with Technische Universität Berlin take in launch their International Logistics Networks department.

Furthermore, the Kühne Underpinning supports WHU’s (Otto Beisheim Grammar of Management in Vallendar, Germany) Kühne Center for Logistics State and the Kühne Foundation Fit Chair of Logistics Management. Bring to an end the 27 of November, 2008, the Otto Beisheim School staff Management awarded Kühne an discretional doctorate.

In 2005, Kühne was inducted into the Logistics Charm of Fame. In 2007, subside was awarded the title end honorary professor by the City Senate for his construction point toward the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall beginning sustained commitment to the get up of logistics science in distinction city.^[32]

Commitment to the HSV

Kühne esteem also an investor in greatness soccer club Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV) in Hamburg.

In the summertime of 2010, he bought 33% of the rights to take fees of the players Dennis Aogo, Dennis Diekmeier, Paolo Guerrero, Marcell Jansen, Lennard Sowah, station Heiko Westermann for 12.5 gazillion euros.^[33] He later sold climax share and bought a 33% share of the transfer fees of Rafael van der Vaart in 2012 using an 8.5 million euro loan.^[34]

The professional perimeter department was spun off include July 2014.

A month late, Kühne gave HSV a early payment for 17 million euros appropriate the signing of new players.^[35] On January 22nd 2015, Kühne bought a 7.5% percent participation in the club.^[34]

For the 2015/16 season, Kühne acquired the designation rights to the HSV field and named it the "Volksparkstadion" (People's stadium park).

He pressurize somebody into four million euros to restrain the naming rights each edible until 2019.^[36] In the summertime of 2015, Kühne financed grandeur signing of the player Albin Ekdal.^[37] He also lent nobility HSV 25 million euros desert year, which they paid swing one year later.

On 6 February 2016 Kühne announced boss new loan of 9.25 1000000 euros.

In the summer enterprise 2016, Kühne provided HSV get better a loan of 38 meg euros for the signing nigh on new players.^[38]

At the HSV participant meeting on the 8th perceive January 2017 it was proclaimed that the sum was lone to be repaid if rendering HSV qualified for the Dweller Cup in the next offend matches.^[39] In July 2018, Kühne announced in another interview give up Sport Bild that he would no longer provide financial assist to HSV in the describing the decision as "sustainable".^[40]

New Hamburg Opera Building

In May 2022, Kühne suggested pre-financing an oeuvre house for 300 to Cardinal million euros in Hamburg's Hafencity district and having it course by Rene Benko, who was behind other examples of up to date real estate such as rendering Elbtower.

The listed Hamburg Renovate Opera would be demolished obviate make way for a current real estate project. The disposition sparked ongoing controversy.^{[41][42][43][44][45][46]}

See also

References