Christoph Henkel

Upon the death of his father, Konrad, in 1999, Christoph Henkel inherited an interest in one of the world's largest cleaning products companies. Under Konrad's leadership, Henkel AG, founded by his grandfather Fritz Henkel in 1876, became a global powerhouse in chemicals and consumer products, with such name brands as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Fa. It went public in 1985. Today some 80 family members from three clans share an 80% interest in the $19 billion (2013 sales) Henkel AG, which is comprised of over 300 subsidiaries operating in some 70 countries. Prior to joining Henkel AG in 1989, Christoph held various management positions at Nestle and Henkel operating units. He serves as Vice Chairman of Henkel's Shareholders' Committee, and is the Principal and Founding Partner of investment firm Canyon Equity LLC. Based in Larkspur, California, the affiliated Canyon Group of Companies are active in acquisitions and the development of luxury boutique hotels and resorts (its portfolio includes Amangiri in Utah and Amangani in Jackson Hole, plus the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe and the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji). Christoph also invests in tech, biotech and movie-production companies, and has real estate holdings in Europe and the U.S. In 2006, Heinrich Heine University, in Henkel AG's home town of Duesseldorf, awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his professional achievements and service to the economics faculty. A passionate outdoorsman, Christoph also is active in acquiring land for conservation.