Who inherits Klaus-Michael Kuehne's $49 billion fortune, and what is the structure overseeing it?

Klaus-Michael Kuehne's $49 billion fortune is inherited by the Kuehne Foundation, a low-key Swiss foundation established as part of his longstanding succession plan. The foundation is overseen by a board of trustees that includes some of Kuehne’s closest advisers and his wife, and its core asset is the majority-owned freight-forwarding giant Kuehne + Nagel International AG, co-founded by his grandfather.

Why is there uncertainty about the future direction of Kuehne’s business empire after his death?

Uncertainty arises because Kuehne — who had no children and stepped away from day-to-day operations long ago — retained formidable influence over business strategy until recently, and his dominant, independent leadership style is irreplaceable by a collective board; as noted by Professor Georg von Schnurbein, 'A board can never act in the same way. There’ll be more discussions and the level of risk-taking won’t be the same.'

Kuehne Foundation Inherits $49 Billion Fortune After Tycoon's Death

Aug 26, 2026

Klaus-Michael Kuehne died at 89, transferring his $49 billion empire, including stakes in shipping and chemicals specialist Brenntag, to the Kuehne Foundation. Succession plans raise questions about future strategy and asset management within the global supply chain sector.

bloomberg

2026-08-26

Kuehne Foundation Inherits $49 Billion Fortune After Tycoon's Death

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