Edzard Reuter

{{Infobox person

| image = 21. Internationales Management-Gespräch-Edzard Reuter-HSGN 028-00882.jpg

| caption = Reuter in 1991

| name = Edzard Reuter

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|2|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Berlin, Brandenburg, Prussia, Germany

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|27|1928|2|16|df=y}}

| death_place = Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

| education = {{ubl|Humboldt University of Berlin|Georg August University of Göttingen|Free University of Berlin}}

| occupation = Business executive

| title = CEO of Daimler-Benz

| predecessor = Werner Breitschwerdt

| successor = Jürgen E. Schrempp

| term = 1987–1995

| parents = Ernst Reuter
Hanna Kleinert

}}

Edzard Hans Wilhelm Reuter (16 February 1928 – 27 October 2024) was a German businessman. He was the CEO of Daimler-Benz from 1987 to 1995.

Early life

Edzard Reuter was born in Berlin on 15 February 1928. His father was the popular social democratic politician and later mayor of Berlin, from 1948 to 1953, Ernst Reuter.{{cite web | title=Ehemaliger Daimler-Benz-Chef Edzard Reuter ist tot | website=Deutschlandfunk | date=30 October 2024 | url=https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/ehemaliger-daimler-benz-chef-edzard-reuter-ist-tot-100.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} His mother Hanna Reuter née Kleinert was a secretary at the party newspaper Vorwärts.{{cite web | last=Dettmer | first=Markus | title=Edzard Reuter: Der Visionär, der Verluste hinterließ | website=Der Spiegel | date=29 October 2024 | url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/edzard-reuter-der-visionaer-der-verluste-hinterliess-a-453a468f-1744-432c-8a94-2b7ee3518dda | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}}{{cite web | title=Ex-Daimler-Chef Reuter tot: Sozialdemokrat mit kostspieligen Visionen | website=tagesschau.de | date=29 October 2024 | url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/badenwuerttemberg/nachruf-reuter-daimler-100.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} Under the Nazi regime, the family was forced to flee Germany; they found exile in Ankara, Turkey, where Reuter spent his childhood and youth.{{cite web | title=Edzard Reuter | website=Abgeordnetenhaus Berlin | date=26 March 2021 | url=https://www.parlament-berlin.de/Das-Haus/Berliner-Ehrenbuerger/edzard-reuter | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} In 1946, Reuter joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).

After returning to Germany in 1946,{{cite web | title=Berliner Ehrenbürger: Wegner: "Berlin trauert um Edzard Reuter" | website=Der Tagesspiegel | date=29 October 2024 | url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/berliner-ehrenburger-wegner-berlin-trauert-um-edzard-reuter-12610574.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} Reuter studied mathematics and theoretical physics at the University of Berlin, now known as Humboldt University of Berlin, but then in East Berlin. He transferred to the Georg August University of Göttingen.{{cite web | title=Edzard Reuter | website=Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften | url=https://www.bbaw.de/die-akademie/akademie-historische-aspekte/mitglieder-historisch/historisches-mitglied-edzard-reuter-3141 | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} In 1949, he switched over to studying law at the newly founded Free University of Berlin.{{cite web |last=Trenkamp | first=Oliver | title=Ein Student und eine Universität im Aufbruch | website=Freie Universität Berlin | date=30 October 2024 | url=https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/publikationen/tsp/archiv/2008/ts_20080419/ts_200800419_61/index.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} In 1955, Reuter completed his state examinations.

Career

From 1954 to 1956, he was an assistant at the Free University. After applying for a job for Daimler-Benz and failing, possibly because of his political orientation, Edzard Reuter became an authorized signatory for UFA, the German film studio and then an executive for Bertelsmann, a media corporation.

In 1964, Hanns Martin Schleyer recruited Reuter to work at the Daimler-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart, where he advanced to the board of managers. In July 1987, he succeeded {{ill|Werner Breitschwerdt|de}} as chairman of the board upon recommendation of Alfred Herrhausen.{{cite web | title=Schwere Fehler | website=Der Spiegel | date=12 July 1987 | url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/schwere-fehler-a-6f978d71-0002-0001-0000-000013523800 | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} Upon his assumption of office Reuter avowed himself to an "open" corporate culture. His takeovers were the aircraft and defense technology of Dornier, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm and MTU Friedrichshafen, electronics from Matra, and household appliances from AEG. Daimler-Benz became a giant corporation, but it cost the company billions in losses.{{cite web | title=Berliner Ehrenbürger Edzard Reuter ist tot | website=rbb24 | date=15 November 2016 | url=https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/beitrag/2024/10/edzard-reuter-gestorben-ernst-reuter-berlin.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} The way he exercised his functions was criticized by many including the economist {{ill|Ekkehard Wenger|de}}. In May 1995, Reuter was succeeded by Jürgen E. Schrempp, who gave up his predecessor's business philosophy choosing instead to emphasize shareholder value.{{cite web | title=Ex-Daimler-Chef Edzard Reuter: Schatten der Vergangenheit | website=stuttgarter-zeitung.de | date=26 February 2020 | url=https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.ex-daimler-chef-edzard-reuter-schatten-der-vergangenheit.3f33db92-8175-4936-ab11-1d763c49b193.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}}

In August 1994, Reuter mentioned himself as a possible candidate for mayor of Berlin, but none of the parties showed interest.{{cite web | title="Ich bin ansprechbar" | website=Der Spiegel | date=28 August 1994 | url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ich-bin-ansprechbar-a-843daa56-0002-0001-0000-000013684789?context=issue | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}} In 1998, Reuter became an honorary citizen of Berlin, especially for his dedication for the expansion of the Potsdamer Platz.{{cite web | last=Appenzeller | first=Gerd | title=Edzard Reuter zum 90. Geburtstag: Der Mann, der den Potsdamer Platz schuf | website=Der Tagesspiegel | date=16 February 2018 | url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/der-mann-der-den-potsdamer-platz-schuf-3926380.html | language=de | access-date=30 October 2024}}

Death

Reuter died in Stuttgart, Germany, on 27 October 2024, at the age of 96.

Writings

{{cite book | last=Reuter | first=Edzard | title=Egorepublik Deutschland | date=2013 | publisher=Campus Verlag | isbn=978-3-593-42011-0 | language=de}}

=Autobiography=

{{cite book | last=Reuter | first=Edzard | title=Schein und Wirklichkeit | publisher=Siedler | publication-place=Berlin | date=1999 | isbn=978-3-442-75571-4 | language=de}}

References

{{reflist

| refs =

{{cite news

| last = Pillau

| first = Florian

| url = https://www.heise.de/en/news/Former-Daimler-CEO-Edzard-Reuter-is-dead-9997257.html

| title = Former Daimler CEO Edzard Reuter is dead

| work = heise.de

| date = 29 October 2024

| access-date = 29 October 2024

}}

=Obituaries=

{{cite web |title=Bundespräsident Steinmeier kondoliert zum Tod von Edzard Reuter |website=Der Bundespräsident |date=29 October 2024 |url=https://www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2024/10/241029-Kondolenz-Reuter.html |language=de |access-date=30 October 2024}}
{{cite web |title=Trauer um Edzard Reuter |publisher=Mercedes-Benz Group |date=29 October 2024 |url=https://group.mercedes-benz.com/unternehmen/news/nachruf-edzard-reuter.html |language=de |access-date=30 October 2024}}