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= Klaus-Michael Kühne =


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Klaus-Michael Kühne (born 2 June 1937) is a German billionaire and businessman. As of October 2021, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated Kühne's net worth to be $36.2 Billion USD, making him the richest person in Germany. He is the honorary chairman and majority owner (53.3%) of the international transport company Kühne + Nagel, co-founded by his grandfather, August Kühne (1855–1932). He also holds minority interests in Hapag-Lloyd Stock Company, Lufthansa Stock Company, Brenntag Corporation, and HSV Stock Company.

Childhood and education
Kühne was born as the only child of the forwarding agent Alfred Kühne (1895-1981) and his wife Mercedes (1908-2001) in Hamburg, Germany, in 1937. He is the grandson of August Kühne [see above].

Kuhne attended the Heinrich-Hertz-School in Hamburg-Winterhude. He and Wolf Biermann were classmates until Biermann's relocation to East Germany in 1953.

After graduation, Kühne completed a two-year-long training program to become a bank- and foreign trade facilitator with the banking firm Münchmeyer & Co. Afterwards, he was employed by various freight forwarders, shipping companies, and ship brokers.

Career
In 1958, Kühne joined his family’s shipping company. By 1963 he was a shareholder in 26 companies. When Kühne + Nagel became a stock corporation in 1966, Kühne became chairman and moved the company headquarters to Switzerland.

During the first and second oil price crises in the 70s, he tried to found a shipping company. He was, however, unsuccessful due to financial pressure. In 1981, the year of his father's death, he had to sell 50% percent of the company for 90 billion Deutsche Marks to the former Lorho group. He did, however, buy the company back for 340 billion marks in 1992 and put the Kühne + Nagel Agency on the Stock Market in 1994.

By 1998, Kühne was no longer chairman but rather president and delegate of the board of directors. Through Kühne Holding Stock Company, of which he was sole owner, he holds a 55.75% share in Kühne + Nagel International Stock Company. In 2008, he became a partner in the shipping company Hapag-Lloyd through the Albert Ballin consortium, of which he holds a 30% share.

In May 2016, he took over 20.3% of the shares in Hamburg-based VTG Stock Company, which he sold again in July 2018.

Personal Life
Kühne does not have any children. He has been married to his wife Christine (born in 1938) since 1989. Though he is a German national, Kühne has been living in Schindellegi, Switzerland since 1975, where the Kühne + Nagel headquarters is located.

Honors
 The Kühne Foundation 

Kühne is the sole founder of the non-profit Kühne foundation (established according to Swiss regulations), to which he contributes 5 Billion Swiss Francs annually. The Kühne foundation will later bear his company’s assets as well.

Kühne Logistics University
Together with the City of Hamburg and the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, Kühne founded the Hamburg School of Logistics in 2003. In 2007 it was renamed “the Kühne School of Logistics and Management”, from which Kühne Logistics University ultimately emerged. Kühne also collaborated with the Technical University of Berlin to launch their International Logistics Networks department. Furthermore, the Kühne Foundation supports WHU’s (Otto Bensheim School of Management in Vallendar, Germany) Kühne Center for Logistics Management and the Kühne Foundation Endowed Chair of Logistics Management. On the 27 of November, 2008, the Otto Beisheim School of Management awarded Kühne an honorary doctorate.

In 2005, Kühne was inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was honored with the title “Honorary Professor” by the Hamburg Senate for his construction of the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall and sustained commitment to the development of logistics science in the city.

 Commitment to the HSV 

Kühne is also an investor in the soccer club Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV) in Hamburg. In the summer of 2010, he bought 33% of the rights to transfer fees of the players Dennis Aogo, Dennis Diekmeier, Paolo Guerrero, Marcell Jansen, Lennard Sowah, and Heiko Westermann for 12.5 million euros. He later sold his share, however, and bought a 33% share of the transfer fees of Rafael van der Vaart in 2012 using an 8.5 million euro loan.

The professional soccer department was spun off in July 2014. A month later, Kühne gave HSV a loan for 17 million euros for the signing of new players. On January 22nd 2015, Kühne bought a 7.5% percent share in the club.

For the 2015/16 season, Kühne acquired the naming rights to the HSV stadium and named it the “Volksparkstadion” (English: People’s stadium park). He payed four million euros to maintain the naming rights each season until 2019. In the summer of 2015, Kühne financed the signing of the player Albin Ekdal. He also lent the HSV 25 million euros that year, which they payed back one year later. On February 6th 2016, Kühne announced a new loan in the amount of 9.25 million euros.

In the summer of 2016, Kühne provided HSV with a loan of 38 million euros for the signing of new players.

At the HSV member meeting on the 8th of January 2017 it was announced that the sum was only to be repaid if the HSV qualified for the European Cup in the next six matches. In July 2018, Kühne announced in another interview with Sport Bild that he would no longer provide financial support to HSV in the future, describing the decision as “sustainable”.

 New Hamburg Opera Building 

In May 2022, Kühne suggested pre-financing an opera house for 300 to 400 million euros in Hamburg’s “Hafencity” district and having it built by Rene Benko, who was behind other examples of modern real estate, such as the Elbtower. The listed Hamburg State Opera would be demolished to make way for a modern real estate project. The plans sparked ongoing controversy.

Assets
With an estimated personal fortune of approximately 14.2 billion US dollars as of 2020, Kühne was ranked the 5th richest individual in Germany and 74th worldwide. In May 19th 2021, however, he was ranked 38th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with an estimated fortune of $34.4 Billion USD. According to the 2021 Bilanz list of richest people, his net worth was valued at 30 billion Swiss Francs.

In April 2022, he increased his stake in Lufthansa to 10.01%, or 830 million euros. In July 2022, he increased his share by another 5% to become the largest individual shareholder in Lufthansa Stock Company. As of 2022/2023, Kühne is the Forbes’ List 39th richest person in the world. According to the magazine, he has an estimated fortune of $39.1 Billion USD (as of 2023).