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Klaus-Michael Kühne, Logistics Pioneer and Kuehne+Nagel Leader, Dies at 89

Klaus-Michael Kühne, the legendary executive who transformed Kuehne+Nagel International AG into a global logistics powerhouse, died Sunday at age 89. Kühne joined the company in 1958 and assumed the CEO role at 29 in 1966. He spearheaded internationalization, relocating operations to Switzerland in 1974 and establishing the company's first Chinese office in 1979. The company went public on the Swiss exchange in 1994 under his leadership. Kühne held the honorary chairman position since 2011. Beyond Kuehne+Nagel, he maintained substantial stakes in Hapag-Lloyd and Lufthansa while establishing the Kühne Foundation and Kühne Logistics University. Current CEO Stefan Paul pledged to honor Kühne's legacy of entrepreneurial innovation and international expansion. Kuehne+Nagel ranks among the world's five largest logistics firms by revenue.