Kuehne+Nagel announces Klaus-Michael Kuehne's personal succession plan
Effective October 1, 2008, Klaus-Michael Kuehne will delegate important functions within his scope of responsibilities to Karl Gernandt.
Gernandt will become board member of the Kuehne Foundation, Schindellegi, and managing director of the newly planned Klaus-Michael Kuehne Foundation. He will also be appointed president of a new Hamburg-based company – the Logistics Centre of Excellence – that will co-ordinate all the donor’s activities in worldwide logistics research and education.
Gernandt will maintain offices in Hamburg, Germany and Schindellegi, Switzerland.
Kuehne plans to step down from his post as delegate of the board of directors of Kuehne + Nagel International, and will recommend Gernandt as his successor.
Klaus-Michael Kuehne commented on his decision: “At the age of 71, I have decided to pass many of my responsibilities into younger hands and I am fortunate to have found a person to whom I will entrust a significant part of my life’s work.”
He added that he intends to expand the field of interest of the Kuehne Holding AG and to initiate new entrepreneurial engagements. “As the Kuehne Foundation will someday inherit my shareholding in Kuehne + Nagel, the board of the foundation will be enlarged and rejuvenated with top management talent.”
Kuehne will remain president of the board of the Kuehne Foundation and chairman of the board of directors of Kuehne + Nagel International, working in close cooperation with Gernandt.
