Karl-Ludwig Kley (born 11 June 1951 in Munich) is a German business executive.
Education Kley studied law at LMU Munich from 1974 to 1979. He completed his practical training as a lawyer in Hamburg and Johannesburg from 1979 to 1982. He earned a doctorate in law at LMU in 1986.
Career Kley worked for Bayer from 1982 to 1998, most recently as head of corporate finance and investor relations. He was chief financial officer and a member of the executive board of Lufthansa 1998–2006.
In 2006, Kley joined the Merck Group as a member of the executive board. He became chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of the executive board of Merck KGaA in April 2007.Merck promotes Oschmann as CEO to replace Kley, The Financial Times, 13 October 2015 Under his leadership, Merck strengthened its two non-pharmaceutical divisions, which make laboratory supplies and specialty chemicals, and completed a $17 billion deal to buy US laboratory supplies company Sigma-Aldrich.Jeevan Vasagar and Andrew Ward (October 13, 2015), Merck promotes Oschmann as CEO to replace Kley Financial Times. In his capacity at Merck, Kley was part of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s delegation on a state visit to Japan in 2015. Kley retired from The Merck Group in April 2016.
In 2017, Lufthansa named Kley as new chairman of its supervisory board, replacing Wolfgang Mayrhuber, who had resigned six months before the end of his term.Maria Sheahan (September 25, 2017), Lufthansa names former CFO Kley as new chairman Reuters.
Other activities (selection) Corporate boards E.ON, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2016)Members of the Supervisory Board: Karl-Ludwig Kley E.ON. Lufthansa, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (2016–2025), Member of the Supervisory Board (2013–2025)Jens Koenen (25 September 2017), Endlich gelandet Handelsblatt.Jens Koenen and Catiana Krapp (16 September 2025), Ex-Eon-Chef Teyssen soll Aufsichtsrat leiten Handelsblatt.Jens Flottau (16 September 2025), Luftfahrt: Johannes Teyssen soll Lufthansa-Aufsichtsrat leiten Süddeutsche Zeitung. Verizon Wireless, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2015)Karl-Ludwig Kley Verizon Wireless. HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2005)Advisory Board HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt. 1. FC Köln, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2007) Deutsche Bank, Member of the European Advisory Board (since 2003)2003 Annual Report: Advisory Boards Deutsche Bank. Rantum Capital, Chairman of the Advisory BoardTeam Rantum Capital. BMW, Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board (2010–2021), Member of the Supervisory Board (2008–2021) Bertelsmann, Member of the Supervisory Board (2007–2016) MAN SE, Member of the Supervisory Board (2005–2007)
Non-profit organizations Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the BoardBoard Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG). Goethe Institute, Member of the Business and Industry Advisory BoardOrganization Goethe Institute. University of Freiburg, Member of the Advisory BoardAdvisory Board University of Freiburg. Konrad Adenauer Prize, former Member of the Advisory BoardKonrad Adenauer Prize: Advisory Board City of Cologne. Fritz Thyssen Foundation, Member of the Board of TrusteesBoard of Trustees Fritz Thyssen Foundation. 1. FC Köln, Member of the Advisory Board (−2019)Präsidium strafft Strukturen 1. FC Köln besetzt seine Gremien neu Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, October 7, 2019. German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), President (2012–2014)
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