Karl-Ludwig Kley (born 11 June 1951 in Munich) is a German business executive.

Karl-Ludwig Kley
Born (1951-06-11) 11 June 1951 (age 73)
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
TitleChairman of Lufthansa
Term2017-
SuccessorStefan Oschmann

Education

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Kley studied law at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) from 1974 to 1979. He completed his practical training as a lawyer in Hamburg and Johannesburg from 1979 to 1982. He earned a doctorate in law at LMU in 1986.

Career

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Kley worked for Bayer from 1982 to 1998, most recently as head of corporate finance and investor relations. He was chief financial officer and a member of the executive board of Lufthansa 1998–2006.

In 2006, Kley joined the Merck Group as a member of the executive board. He became chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of the executive board of Merck KGaA in April 2007.[1][2] Under his leadership, Merck strengthened its two non-pharmaceutical divisions, which make laboratory supplies and specialty chemicals, and completed a $17 billion deal to buy US laboratory supplies company Sigma-Aldrich.[3] In his capacity at Merck, Kley was part of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s delegation on a state visit to Japan in 2015. Kley retired from The Merck Group in April 2016.[2]

In 2017, Lufthansa named Kley as new chairman of its supervisory board, replacing Wolfgang Mayrhuber, who had resigned six months before the end of his term.[4]

Other activities (selection)

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Corporate boards

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  • E.ON, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2016)[5]
  • Lufthansa, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2016), Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2013)[6]
  • Verizon Wireless, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2015)[7]
  • HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2005)[8]
  • 1. FC Köln, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2007)
  • Deutsche Bank, Member of the European Advisory Board (since 2003)[9]
  • Rantum Capital, Chairman of the Advisory Board[10]
  • BMW, Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board (2010–2021), Member of the Supervisory Board (2008–2021)
  • Bertelsmann, Member of the Supervisory Board (2007-2016)
  • MAN SE, Member of the Supervisory Board (2005-2007)

Non-profit organizations

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  • Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the Board[11]
  • Goethe Institute, Member of the Business and Industry Advisory Board[12]
  • University of Freiburg, Member of the Advisory Board[13]
  • Konrad Adenauer Prize, former Member of the Advisory Board[14]
  • Fritz Thyssen Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees[15]
  • 1. FC Köln, Member of the Advisory Board (-2019)[16]
  • German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), President (2012-2014)

References

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  1. ^ Merck promotes Oschmann as CEO to replace Kley, The Financial Times, 13 October 2015
  2. ^ a b Divac, Natascha (13 October 2015). "Germany's Merck Names New CEO". WSJ. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. ^ Jeevan Vasagar and Andrew Ward (October 13, 2015), Merck promotes Oschmann as CEO to replace Kley Financial Times.
  4. ^ Maria Sheahan (September 25, 2017), Lufthansa names former CFO Kley as new chairman Reuters.
  5. ^ Members of the Supervisory Board: Karl-Ludwig Kley E.ON.
  6. ^ Jens Koenen (September 25, 2017), Endlich gelandet Handelsblatt.
  7. ^ Karl-Ludwig Kley Archived 2015-11-21 at the Wayback Machine Verizon Wireless.
  8. ^ Advisory Board HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt.
  9. ^ 2003 Annual Report: Advisory Boards Deutsche Bank.
  10. ^ Team Rantum Capital.
  11. ^ Board Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG).
  12. ^ Organization Goethe Institute.
  13. ^ Advisory Board University of Freiburg.
  14. ^ Konrad Adenauer Prize: Advisory Board City of Cologne.
  15. ^ Board of Trustees Fritz Thyssen Foundation.
  16. ^ Präsidium strafft Strukturen 1. FC Köln besetzt seine Gremien neu Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, October 7, 2019.
Business positions
Preceded by Chief Executive Officer, Merck Group
2007–2016
Succeeded by