Otto Beisheim Founder of the Metro concern Date of Birth: 03.01.1924 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Otto Beisheim
2. Mysterious Figure in German Business
3. Controversial Detail in Biography
4. Creating the Metro Retail Network
5. A Life of Seclusion

Biography of Otto Beisheim

Otto Beisheim, the founder of the Metro retail conglomerate, is one of the wealthiest individuals in Europe. He was born on January 3, 1924, in the German city of Essen. As of March 5, 2008, Forbes estimated his fortune to be worth $5 billion.

Mysterious Figure in German Business

Otto Beisheim is considered one of the most enigmatic figures in the German business world. Throughout his life, this billionaire has never given a single interview. It is said that Beisheim did not complete high school in his youth and started his illustrious career as a salesperson in a leather goods store.

Controversial Detail in Biography

One detail in Otto Beisheim's biography that evokes strong emotions and fear in many is his service in one of the most elite units of the Waffen SS - the Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler." This unit enjoyed personal patronage and special favor from the Führer himself. During the early years of the Reich in the 1930s, members of the Leibstandarte pledged personal allegiance to Hitler and served as the personal bodyguard for the Nazi leadership. Perhaps it is this circumstance that explains Beisheim's almost pathological seclusion.

Creating the Metro Retail Network

Otto Beisheim began building the Metro retail network in the 1960s. Today, it is the fifth-largest retail group in the world, comprising supermarket chains such as Metro, Kaufhof, Media Markt, Saturn, Praktiker, Real, and Extra. Beisheim primarily resides in Switzerland and the United States and rarely appears in public. He even abstained from attending a significant moment for any entrepreneur when his company went public in 1995 and its shares started trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

A Life of Seclusion

Beisheim adheres strictly to his rules of seclusion. He did not break these rules even recently, when the Beisheim Center was ceremoniously opened in the heart of Berlin, near modern complexes built by Sony and DaimlerChrysler. The Beisheim Center is a residential and office building that includes the luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel. Beisheim dedicated €450 million to construct this architectural landmark in honor of his late wife four years ago but refused to attend its opening.

In 2004, Metro, the retail conglomerate, celebrated its 40th anniversary, coinciding with Beisheim's eightieth birthday.