Klaus-Michael Kühne hinterlässt ein Milliardenvermögen: Was nun mit seinem Erbe passiert

Klaus-Michael Kühne, the successful entrepreneur and billionaire, passed away at the age of 89 in his hometown of Schindellegi in the canton of Schwyz. He had prepared his succession in advance and left his fortune to the Kühne Foundation, which will now benefit from a massive inheritance worth several dozen billion dollars. Kühne's legacy includes significant investments in various industries such as logistics, shipping, air travel, and transportation.

The Kühne Foundation, founded in 1976, is an operational foundation rather than a traditional grant-making organization. It operates independently, developing its own projects and building institutions, with around 800 employees and 20 subsidiaries and organizations working under its guidance. The foundation currently focuses on logistics, climate research, medicine, and culture, with notable projects such as the Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg and the Kühne-Akademie – Zukunft Musiktheater in Zurich, which aims to train young singers and future opera directors.

The foundation's purpose and scope have been broadened over the years, particularly to promote a liberal economic order, including entrepreneurial responsibility, free trade, and reduced regulation. Kühne's last will and testament designates Thomas Staehelin, a long-time acquaintance and Basel lawyer, to take a key role as the Foundation's president.

Other key figures in the transition include Jörg Wolle, the current chairman of Kühne + Nagel, and Karl Gernandt, who has been the company's right-hand man and a board member of various organizations. The Kühne Foundation will continue to oversee the billionaire's investments, ensuring the legacy remains a major player in the European private foundation sector.