Ralph Dommermuth

Ralph Dommermuth (born 1963) is a German businessman, the founder, chairman and CEO of United Internet.

Ralph Dommermuth
Born1963 (age 56–57)
NationalityGerman
OccupationChairman and CEO, United Internet
Net worth$5.2 billion (July 2018)[1]
Spouse(s)Judith Berger
Children1 (from an earlier marriage)

Career

Dommermuth was born in 1963 and raised as the son of a realtor in Montabaur, Germany. He has one brother. After initial training at the Deutsche Bank, he started to work as sales freelancer for a local PC dealer in his hometown Montabaur in 1983.[2]

In 1988, Dommermuth founded the 1&1 EDV Marketing GmbH together with a business partner. The first business idea was called "Software Börse", a marketing tool for software companies. For this product the company won the German direct marketing price in 1989.[3] The Company also organized special exhibitions at the CEBIT in Hannover, such as the "Software-Zentrum Mittelstand" and "Software for Europe."[4][5] In 1992, his company 1&1 was commissioned by Deutsche Telekom to sell Bildschirmtext-access-points and later T-Online accounts.[3]

After the initial success as a marketing service provider Dommermuth converted 1&1 into an internet service provider, beginning in 1996.[6] In March 1998, the company had its IPO as the first German Internet company.[7] Due to the capital increase carried out in this context, 1&1 had opportunity to participate in other IT companies such as GMX and Schlund + Partner AG. At the height of the internet boom in the early 2000s, 1&1 Holding held shares in 17 internet companies and Dommermuth renamed the company to United Internet.[8]

Dommermuth owns 40% of United Internet, the Germany-headquartered broadband provider, which manages the 1&1, GMX and Web.de brands, with 2015 turnover of Euro 3.7 billion, and 48 million customers in 11 countries.[9]

Dommermuth is Germany's sole Internet billionaire, and the country's youngest self-made billionaire.[10]

Donations

In 2017, when federal elections took place in Germany, the largest donation to a political party was provided by Dommermuth, Euro 500,000 Euro to the CDU, Germany's conservative party.[11]

Personal life

Dommermuth has a child from an earlier marriage.[12] He is married to Judith Berger, a model, and they live in Montabaur.[12][13]

gollark: If you go around buying something because it's "new" you're a bit of an apioform.
gollark: Does it *matter*? "New" doesn't exactly mean much.
gollark: "THE KNOWLEDGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF UNLEASHING INDESCRIBABLE HORRORS THAT SHATTER YOUR PSYCHE AND SET YOUR MIND ADRIFT IN THE UNKNOWABLY INFINITE COSMOS.", sort of thing?
gollark: And make it large?
gollark: So, how do you plan to move it all to the front?

References
  1. "Forbes profile: Ralph Dommermuth". Forbes. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  2. Heuzeroth, Thomas (2005-10-29). "Mr. Internet wohnt in Montabaur". DIE WELT. Retrieved 2018-06-29.
  3. "Ralph Dommermuth - Hall of Fame - computerwoche.de". www.computerwoche.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  4. "Mehr als 130 Aussteller machen mit: CeBIT '92: SW-Anbieter zeigen "Software in Europa " - computerwoche.de". www.computerwoche.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  5. "Werber im Netz". finanzen.net (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  6. Milosevic, Redaktion connect, Josefine. "Firmenportrait 1&1 - connect". connect (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  7. "1&1 geht an die Börse - computerwoche.de". www.computerwoche.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  8. Online, FOCUS. "Aufbauen und loslassen". FOCUS Online (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  9. "Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Ralph Dommermuth". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-03-11.
  10. "Porträt: Ralph Dommermuth - Mister Internet und Milliardär aus dem Westerwald". computerwoche.de. 2014-08-18. Retrieved 2017-03-11.
  11. tagesschau.de. "CDU und FDP erhielten 2017 die höchsten Großspenden". tagesschau.de. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  12. "Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Ralph Dommermuth". Retrieved 25 March 2018 – via www.bloomberg.com.
  13. "United-Internet-Chef Ralph Dommermut: Wer ist der "deutsche Bill Gates"? - Rheinland-Pfalz - SWR Aktuell". Retrieved 29 June 2018.


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