Otto Beisheim

Otto Beisheim (3 January 1924 – 18 February 2013[1]) was a German businessman and founder of Metro AG. In 2010, his net worth was estimated at US $3.6 billion.[2]

World War II

During World War II Beisheim served in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.[3] Beisheim was a SS-Sturmmann (corresponds private) in an artillery regiment of the Leibstandarte.[4]

Business

The first Metro Market, opened in November 1963 in Essen-Altenessen.

On 10 January 2004, Beisheim Center was officially opened on the northwest side of Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, built for 463 million euros, and including the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott chains.

In 2009, he sold 5.2% of the shares of Metro AG to various national and international investors; a further 3.1% could be sold.[5]

Philanthropy

The WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, in Koblenz is named after him.[6][7][8]

References

  1. ↑ Julie Cruz (18 February 2013). "Metro’s Billionaire Founder Otto Beisheim Dies, Aged 89". Bloomberg.
  2. ↑ "#249 Otto Beisheim". Forbes. 10 March 2010.
  3. ↑ Metro Gründer:Otto BEisheim ist tot Der Spiegel
  4. ↑ taz: Beisheim darf Schulnamen doch kaufen, 16. November 2005
  5. ↑ http://www.marketwatch.com/story/otto-beisheim-sells-52-stake-in-metro-ag-2009-10-07
  6. ↑ http://www.whu.edu/cms/index.php?id=433
  7. ↑ http://www.topuniversities.com/university/322/whu-otto-beisheim-school-of-management---koblenz
  8. ↑ http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/kelloggwhu-otto-beisheim-school