Frank Gotthardt was managing director of CompuGroup Medical for a long time. He is currently chairman of the board of directors and holds a large stake in the company. IMAGO / Eduard Bopp
There is hardly any way around CompuGroup Medical (CGM) and its long-time boss Frank Gotthardt in the German healthcare system. With around 9,000 employees and over one billion euros in sales, the group is in the top league in the digital health sector. With software products for doctors, pharmacies and hospitals, CGM has become a global IT giant made in Germany
Gotthardt, who recently made headlines through his involvement with the news portal Nius, wrote a success story with the CGM – even the critics agree on that. A large part of his assets also come from the CGM, which is estimated at around 1.4 billion euros. This makes him one of the richest Germans. The dazzling billionaire uses the money to finance a number of expensive hobbies: The 73-year-old is said to have a soft spot for classic cars, which he likes to take out on rallies and which his brother would maintain. He has also been the owner of the Kölner Haie ice hockey club since 2010. Gotthardt is also considered to be well connected politically – he is honorary chairman of the Economic Council of the CDU Rhineland-Palatinate.
But at the beginning of February, Gotthardt learned how quickly the positive mood around his CompuGroup can change: “Stocks in free fall” were the headlines Financial media, when the CGM price fell by almost 20 percent. Sobering annual reports were to blame; the company posted a loss of 15.5 million euros in the fourth quarter of 2023. Particularly striking: CompuGroup spent over 26 million euros on “restructuring costs” – seven times higher than in the previous year.