Karl-Ludwig Kley

Karl-Ludwig Kley is an Honorary Professor at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. He currently serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of E.ON SE and Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Previously, he was CEO of Merck KGaA (2007–2016) and CFO of Lufthansa (1997–2006). He holds a PhD in Law from Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and has extensive executive board experience across industries including aviation, chemicals, and technology.

• Affiliations: Board memberships at BMW AG, Verizon, Bertelsmann, and MAN AG
• Trustee roles: Fritz Thyssen Foundation and acatech (National Academy of Science and Engineering)
• Honorary titles: Ehrensenator of Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg and Board Member of Hebrew University Jerusalem

His research interests focus on corporate governance, strategic leadership, and executive decision-making in global enterprises. Awards highlight his contributions to business and academia, including Italy’s Commendatore and Hessia’s Order of Merit.