Susanne Klatten is a German heiress of BMW, a manufacturer of luxury vehicles. The German businesswoman has a net worth of $23.2 billion. Klatten holds a 19.2 percent stake in BMW and heads the company’s supervisory board.
Susanne Klatten’s huge net worth makes her the number one richest woman in Germany. And being a multibillionaire, Klatten appears in the top 100 richest people in the world.
Are you curious how Susanne Klatten became the successful businesswoman she is today? Dive into Klatten’s financial journey and explore the decisions that made her wealthy.
Early Life
Susanne Hanna Ursula Quandt was born on April 28, 1962, in Bad Homburg, West Germany. She is the daughter of industrialist Herbert Quandt, who had a major stake in BMW. Susanne’s father died when she was still young. As such, she grew up with her mother, Johanna Quandt, and a younger brother, Stefan Quandt.
At 16, police stopped a kidnapping attempt on Susanne and her mother, Johanna.
Personal Life
Susanne met her husband, Jan Klatten, in Regensburg. She was an intern at BMW while Klatten was an engineer. She was not using her family name, Quandt, then. Instead, she went by the name Susanne Kant. Susanne kept her true identity from him until she was sure of their relationship. Jan denies the story. But it is most certainly true.
They married in 1990 in Kitzbühel and moved to Munich. The couple keeps their personal lives private. It is public knowledge that they have three children. But there is not much information about them. Not even their names. Susanne separated from Jan Klatten in 2018.
Career and Education
Susanne Hanna Ursula Klatten graduated from the University of Mannheim with a degree in business finance. She then joined Young & Rubicam, an American advertising agency, in the Frankfurt office. Klatten worked for the agency between 1981 and 1983. She then joined the University of Buckingham to study marketing and management.
Susanne then enrolled at IMD Business School, Lausanne, for a Master of Business Administration. She specialized in advertising. She gained more business experience working in different financial institutions. Such corporations include Dresdner Bank AG, McKinsey & Company Inc., and Bankhaus Reuschel & Co.
When her father died, Susanne inherited his 50.1% shares in Altana, a chemical-pharmaceutical company. She is part of the company’s supervisory board. She used her business experience to transform Altana into a world-class corporation. She did this by focusing on specialty pharmaceuticals and innovative therapies.
Susanne’s career in business began when she joined BMW in 1987. After ten years at BMW, Susanne Klatten joined the firm’s supervisory board along with his young brother, Stefan Quandt. BMW is among the leading motor vehicle companies in the world.
Susanne inherited his father’s 12.50% stake in BMW, but after her mother died in 2015, the shares increased to 19.2%. This increased Susanne Klatten’s net worth tremendously, making her the richest woman in Germany. Thanks to her keen business sense, Klatten transformed BMW into a profitable car company, reputable across the globe.
She has invested in various sectors through her investment company, SKion GmbH. Susanne Klatten’s primary interests include technology, defense systems, telecoms, and alternative energy sources.
In October 2006, Altana sold its specialty pharmaceutical division to Nycomed. As a result, Altana AG has fast grown to become one of the leading global chemical manufacturers. In 2009, Susanne used SKion GmbH to buy all the shares in Altana AG. In 2010, she made the chemical manufacturing company a private entity.
Her massive investment portfolio comprises venture capital funds, wind turbines, and healthcare clinics.
Klatten has worked for SGL Carbon SE since 2009. In April 2013, she became the chairwoman of the company’s supervisory board. Through SKion GmbH, Susanne owns 28.5% of SGL Carbon, a manufacturer of carbon products. She recently resigned from the position of supervisory board chairwoman.
Highlights
- Susanne Klatten is among the wealthiest people in the world. She has a net worth of $23.2 billion.
- She and her brother Stefan Quandt hold the majority stake in BMW. Susanne owns 19.2%, while Stefan owns over 24%.
- Her mother, Johanna Quandt, was the third wife of Herbert Quandt, an industrialist who saved BMW from bankruptcy. A majority shareholder of the company, Herbert, helped BMW become successful in the luxury car market.
- Susanne Klatten is an economist with an MBA from a reputable school. With her business experience, she helped her family company, Altana AG, become a leading chemical company. Altana AG is now a world-class specialty chemical corporation.
- Through SKion GmbH, Susanne acquired all the shares to become the sole owner of Altana AG. The company makes close to $2.5 billion in annual sales.
- She is also a shareholder in SGL Carbon SE and Entrust. Entrust specializes in data security and digital identity. SGL Carbon is a carbon product manufacturing company.
Achievements and Awards
Susanne Klatten is a successful entrepreneur and investor with a huge net worth of $23.2 billion. Though not involved in the day-to-day operations, she holds the majority stake in BMW and Altana AG. She is the sole owner of the carbon products manufacturing company Altana AG. She holds a 19.2% stake in the luxury vehicle manufacturer BMW.
Besides her business prowess, Susanne Klatten is also a notable philanthropist. The German heiress has given millions of dollars to cancer research.
Her business prowess has made an impact in the automotive and pharmaceutical industries. She turned BMW into a world-class automaker. In 2006, she turned her pharmaceutical company into a world-class chemical manufacturer.
In support of her fellow women in enterprises, Klatten is a huge donor to causes that empower women. Such causes include the Women’s Entrepreneurship Program at Harvard Business School. She believes having women in positions of leadership will improve the world.
Take a Look at Susanne Klatten Documentary: BMW Heiress:
She has received many awards for her achievements in business and societal empowerment. Susanne Klatten received the Bayerischer Verdienstorden Award in 2007. In November 2018, Klatten was awarded the Prize for Understanding and Tolerance by the Jewish Museum Berlin.
Net Worth Growth
| Current net worth – 2023 | $23.2 billion |
| Net worth in 2022 | $23.4 billion |
| Net worth in 2021 | N/A |
| Net worth in 2020 | N/A |
| Net worth in 2019 | $19 billion |
| Net worth in 2018 | $24.8 billion |
| Net worth in 2017 | $20.4 billion |
| Net worth in 2016 | $18.5 billion |
| Net worth in 2015 | $16.8 billion |
| Net worth in 2014 | $17.4 billion |
| Net worth in 2013 | $14.3 billion |
Quotes from Susanne Klatten
“Many believe that we are permanently sitting around on a yacht in the Mediterranean.” – Susanne Klatten.
“Our potential stems from the role of being an heir and developing that. We work hard on that every day.” – Susanne Klatten.
Life Lessons from Susanne Klatten
Invest in Personal Growth
One of the most important lessons from Klatten is personal growth. According to Klatten, we should seek personal growth to mend what is broken in our lives. Do not lose the confidence to fix areas in your life that hold you back.
Stay Humble and Maintain a High Level of Integrity
You should learn from everything that happens on your journey to success. From the successes and the failures. Take the time to reflect on yourself so that you can make amends for future success. Embrace change so that you can be better prepared when you fail in the future. Keep an open mind, and welcome new ideas that present opportunities for growth.
Trusting One’s Convictions
It is important to trust your convictions and confidently pursue your goals. It is important to have clear guidance and confidence as you go down the path of personal satisfaction. It also enables you to help others through your contributions to making the world better.
FAQs
How Much Does Susanne Klatten Make Annually?
Susanne Klatten’s primary sources of income are BMW and Altana Ag. She makes monthly earnings of more than $250 million from these companies and an annual income of over $2 billion.
How Much is the BMW Family Worth?
The Quandt family has made a massive impact in the automotive industry for years. It is among the wealthiest families in the world, with a combined net worth of $42.7 billion. The journey to riches began when Quandt transformed BMW into a profitable automotive company. He saved it from bankruptcy and became its biggest stakeholder.
Who Owns the Majority of BMW?
Susanne Klatten and Stefan Quandt are the majority shareholders of BMW. Stefan is Susanne’s young brother. He is the largest shareholder of the automobile company, with over 24% shares.
Conclusion
Susanne Klatten is one of the wealthiest people in the world. She has a net worth of $23.2 billion thanks to her shares in BMW and Altana AG. She owns all the shares in Altana AG and leads the company’s supervisory board.
Her massive wealth makes her the richest woman in Germany. Throughout her business career, Klatten has served in many positions. She has served on the board of directors in several corporations.
She is popular for her investor mentality. In 2011, Focus Magazine named her the most influential public figure thanks to this personality. She was nominated Germany’s manager of the year in 2011 due to her dynamic leadership at BMW. According to Magazine, Klatten’s dedication to the company has kept it relevant both in the domestic and global auto markets.
Besides her business success, Susanne Klatten has also made an impact supporting charity work. Her active role in philanthropic endeavors has seen her support women in business and education. The German billionaire businesswoman has donated millions of dollars to cancer research.
