Horst Paulmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Horst Paulmann
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Paulmann in 2014
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| Born | 22 March 1935 |
| Died | 11 March 2025 (aged 89) Germany
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| Nationality | German Chilean |
| Occupation | CEO and chairman, Cencosud |
| Known for | Retail tycoon |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Jürgen Paulmann |
Horst Paulmann Kemna (born March 22, 1935 – died March 11, 2025) was a very successful German-Chilean businessman. He was the person who started and led Cencosud. This company is the biggest retail chain in Chile and one of the largest in Latin America.
In July 2022, Forbes magazine estimated that he was worth about US$2.3 billion.
Contents
Early Life and Family Journey
Horst Paulmann was born in Germany. After World War II ended, in 1946, his family moved from Germany. They traveled across the Alps to Italy, then to Argentina in 1948, and finally settled in Chile in 1950.
When he was 13, Horst worked as a telephone operator in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Later, he made wooden toys. His family eventually made their home in Temuco, a city in southern Chile.
Starting a Business
In 1952, Paulmann's family bought a local restaurant called Las Brisas. They quickly changed it into a supermarket. After his father passed away, Horst and his brother Jürgen Paulmann worked together. They built many supermarket chains.
Their first very large supermarket, called a hypermarket, was 4,000 square meters. This big store became the start of their huge company, Cencosud.
Horst Paulmann had three children with Helga Koepfer: Manfred, Peter, and Heike. He also had a son, Hans Dieter Paulmann Bischof, with Katherine Bischof Sepúlveda. Paulmann passed away in Germany on March 11, 2025, when he was 89 years old.
Building Cencosud
Horst Paulmann officially started Cencosud on November 10, 1978. He became its main leader and chairman. Cencosud is a huge company that employs more than 150,000 people. It operates in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
What Cencosud Does
Cencosud runs many different types of stores:
- Supermarkets: Like Jumbo, Santa Isabel, Disco, Vea, Gbarbosa, Prezunic, Bretas, Perini, Wong, and Metro.
- Department Stores: Such as París and Johnson's.
- Home Improvement Stores: Like Easy and Blaisten.
- Shopping Malls and Credit Services: They also have shopping centers and offer credit cards. Over 4.3 million credit cards have been given out by Cencosud.
Big Projects and Company Growth
One of Horst Paulmann's most famous projects is the Costanera Center complex. This includes the tallest building in South America, which is 300 meters high. It also has a six-story shopping mall, a hotel, and office buildings.
In 2004, Cencosud's shares began to be traded on the Santiago Stock Exchange in Chile. In 2011, they also started trading on the NYSE in New York, which is a major stock exchange in the United States. The Paulmann family owns most of Cencosud. Horst's children, Manfred, Peter, and Heike Paulmann Koepfer, have been part of the company's leadership.
Achievements and Recognition
Horst Paulmann was recognized for his business success many times. He received several awards for being a top entrepreneur.
Awards and Honors
- Entrepreneur of the Year by Diario Financiero (2012)
- World Entrepreneur of The Year by Ernst & Young (2012)
- Konex Awards, Service and Commerce Entrepreneur (2008)
- Member of The Year, Chilean–German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2007)
- University Extension Award, Universidad Mayor (2006)
- People and Development of Distinction Award during the Percade Congress (2006)
- He was granted Chilean citizenship by grace (2005)
- ICARE Award, Entrepreneur of the Year (2005)
- ASA Salvador D’Anna Award for best retail entrepreneur of the year - Argentina (2005)
- Decoration from Orden de Mayo for his degree of Commander - Argentina (2004)
- Diego Portales Award for outstanding entrepreneur (2004)
See also
In Spanish: Horst Paulmann para niños
