Klaus-Michael Kühne, the German logistics billionaire and majority owner of Kühne+Nagel, has died at the age of 89 in Schindellegi, Switzerland. The company confirmed his death on Monday, ending the life of one of Europe’s most influential transport investors and a major shareholder in Lufthansa.
Kühne built his wealth through Kühne+Nagel into a global logistics group with a large air cargo business and extensive links across European transport. His holdings also included stakes in Hapag-Lloyd, Brenntag and Flix, making his portfolio relevant well beyond freight forwarding. Lufthansa was among his most important aviation investments, and his shareholding had made him the carrier’s largest individual investor.
Reports indicated that he had recently returned from Mallorca to his home in Switzerland and had sought medical treatment before his death. The group’s supervisory board chairman, Jörg Wolle, and other executives are now expected to manage the immediate aftermath, while questions over succession and the future of the Kühne Foundation’s role are likely to follow.