Eberhard von Kuenheim

Dr.-Ing. E.h. Eberhard von Kuenheim (born 2 October 1928) is a German industrial manager. He was Chairman of the executive board (effectively CEO) of the BMW Group, between 1970[2] and 1993.

Eberhard von Kuenheim
Born (1928-10-02) 2 October 1928
Juditten, East Prussia, Germany
NationalityGerman
OccupationCEO, BMW
(1970 - 1993)
Known forbeing the Chairman of the Executive Board of BMW, 1970–1993
PredecessorGerhard Wilcke
SuccessorBernd Pischetsrieder
ChildrenHendrik von Kuenheim, general director of BMW Motorrad[1]

Biography

Kuenheim was born in Juditten (Polish: Judyty) near Bartenstein, (East Prussia). His father died of a riding accident in 1935,[3][4] his mother died in a Soviet NKVD camp after World War II.[3][5]

Kuenheim fled the advancing Red Army in early 1945 and was evacuated via Pillau to Western Germany in March 1945 throughout the Operation Hannibal.[3]

He studied mechanical engineering until 1954 at the Technical University of Stuttgart[6] and joined the Quandt Group, BMW's largest shareholder since 1959, in 1965.[3]

On 1 January 1970, Kuenheim became the CEO of the BMW Group. When Kuenheim became CEO, BMW had 23,000 employees; when he left the post in 1993, the number had risen to 71,000.[7] Kuenheim "transformed BMW from a small, unfocused manufacturer of cars and motorcycles into a world performance luxury icon".[8]

After Bernd Pischetsrieder followed him as CEO, Kuenheim guided BMW's supervisory board until 1999. Today Kuenheim is the head of BMW's Eberhard-von-Kuenheim-Foundation. He is also an Honorary Senator of the Technical University of Munich, which named a building at the mechanical engineering faculty after him.

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References
  1. Booth, David (1 May 2010). "Motorrad boss a true biker". The National. Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Media. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Before his father, Eberhard von Kuenheim, became CEO in 1970, BMW was an odd little manufacturer best known for eccentric motorcycles and quirky bubble cars.
  2. "E. von Kuenheim (BMW) "Growth through flexibility". An exclusive interview with Edouard Seidler". Autocar. Vol. 145 (nbr 4172). 23 October 1976. pp. 114–115.
  3. Bernd Ziesemer (2006). Pioniere der deutschen Wirtschaft (in German). ISBN 978-3-593-38121-3. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  4. wirtschaftswoche.de Archived 13 February 2013 at Archive.today
  5. handelsblatt.com
  6. "handwerkermarkt.de". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  7. autonews.com
  8. "automotivehalloffame.org". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
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