Share |

Germany

LJ Group invests in German student housing

July 28, 2014

British multi family office LJ Group has allocated €100 million to an affordable student housing venture in Germany, already acquiring its first property in Berlin’s inner city.

British multi family office LJ Group has allocated €100 million to an affordable student housing venture in Germany, already acquiring its first property in Berlin’s inner city.

The 30-year-old multi family office, which advises over $50 billion of assets, has partnered with Cresco Capital Group for the Cresco Urban Yurt venture.

Their first purchase in the student housing venture is a €60 million redevelopment of an aging building on Frankfurter Tor.

Aldi co-founder, Karl Albrecht, dies aged 94

July 22, 2014

The reclusive co-founder of the Aldi discount supermarket chain, Karl Albrecht, has died in his hometown of Essen, Germany, aged 94.

The reclusive co-founder of the Aldi discount supermarket chain, Karl Albrecht, has died in his hometown of Essen, Germany, aged 94.

Albrect passed away almost a week ago but the company only confirmed his death yesterday, after his funeral took place.

Family business roundup: Merck acquires a supplier, Soros invests in TV

December 6, 2013

Germany’s Merck bulked up its materials and specialty chemicals business with purchase of high-tech electronic materials company and George Soros bought into Australia’s Nine Entertainment’s IPO.

Merck
German pharmaceuticals and chemicals business Merck, which is 70% owned by the eponymous founding family, is to buy Britain's AZElectronic Materials for £2.6 billion (€3.1 billion).

Second-gen head of Haribo dies

October 16, 2013

Hans Riegel, the second-generation head of German family confectionary firm Haribo – renowned for its colourful ‘gummi bear’ sweets – has died at the age of 90.

He had headed the family firm for almost 70 years, and still held the post of chief executive at the time of his death.

He had been convalescing following an operation to remove a benign brain tumour, but died of heart failure on Tuesday, in his hometown of Bonn in Germany.

Merkel win could be good for German family businesses

September 19, 2013

The return of German chancellor Angela Merkel and the current coalition government at next week's general elections would be the best outcome for the nation's family firms, according to an organisation representing some of Germany's largest family-run companies.

German Lessons

August 15, 2013

The Mittelstand is the envy of the world. Other family businesses could profit from looking closely at the way things are done there.

It is often said that Germany’s Mittelstand companies, which are largely family-owned, are the reason that the country’s economy isn’t in such a dire state as, say, Britain’s. So what can family firms learn from the Mittelstand?

German next-gens won’t sell family business, instead will focus on growth

October 10, 2012

More than half of German next-gens want to take over their family business, bring in outside managers and focus on international expansion, while only 4% would consider selling the family firm.

CampdenFB hosts second family business roundtable

April 21, 2012

CampdenFB and Ernst & Young held its second European family business roundtable in March, with the meeting this time in Frankfurt. And, as to be expected, top of the agenda was the German family business model and its success.

Delegates came from a number of top German/Austrian family businesses, including the white goods manufacturer Miele, and the logistics groups Fiege and Gebrüder Weiss.

Profile: German family businesses

March 4, 2012

Family businesses are the driving force of Germany’s economy and behind much of its success as the second biggest exporter in the world. CampdenFB takes a look at some of the leading German family businesses in an interactive graphic.

Family businesses are the driving force of Germany’s economy and behind much of its success as the second biggest exporter in the world. They come in all shapes and sizes and include two of the country’s iconic car makers, Volkswagen and BMW.

But many of them are the famed Mittelstand companies – small and mid-sized firms, controlled by the founder or the founder’s family, that drive forward Germany’s economy, which is Europe’s largest.

Family business roundup: Profits up at VW, ABF and Sabanci, down at Moller-Maersk

February 28, 2012

It’s been a good week for three of Europe’s biggest family businesses, although Denmark’s Moller-Maersk Group has been hit by “voltatile markets”.

German carmaker Volkswagen said revenues jumped 25.6% to €159.34 billion in 2011, from €126.88 billion in 2010.