Klaus-Michael Kuehne: is there a family office?

Klaus-Michael is the chairman and majority of the global logistics company, Kuehne + Nagel which was founded by his grandfather, August. As of February 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at $39.2bn, which puts him as the 32nd richest person in the world and the richest person in Germany. We are going to investigate if he manages his wealth through a  Klaus-Michael Kuehne Family Office.

Where does Kuehne`s wealth come from?

Klaus-Michael is the majority owner of Kuehne + Nagel, having joined the company in 1963 and becoming CEO in 1996. Klaus-Michael is currently Honorary Chairman of the global forwarder, which operates in more than 106 countries. Kuehne manages his assets through Kuehne Holding AG and has made major investments through the holding company, such as a 20% stake in German rail logistics company VTG. In 2018, the stake was sold to Morgan Stanley Infrastructure for over €300 million. Klaus-Michael also owns 30% of fellow logistics company Hapag-Lloyd and has strengthened his position in recent years, buying property and luxury hotels in Mallorca and Hamburg.

Is there a Kuehne Family Office?

In 1976, Klaus-Michael and his parents set up the Kuhne Foundation to support young talent in the fields of logistics and medicine. The foundation has also supported cultural projects such as European festivals, operas and concert halls. Klaus-Michael owns a minority stake in the German football club Hamburger SV (HSV). In fact, in 2021 the German businessman made a €120m offer to increase his stake to 39.9%, which was rejected. Therefore Kuehne manages wealth through Kuehne Holding AG, Kuehne + Nagel, and Kuehne Foundation.

Picture source: Frank McKenna via Unsplash