Early Life and Education
Karin Schick, born to Gerhard and Ilse Schick, is deeply rooted in the values instilled by her parents. She studied art history, philosophy, and German language and literature in Tübingen and also studied in Boston as a DAAD scholarship holder. Following an additional scholarship year in Washington D.C., she completed her doctorate in art history.
Rise to Success
Schick's career began in the art world before she became known for her involvement in the IT sector through her inheritance from her father. From 2002, she worked as deputy director at the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart and from 2006 as director of the Kirchner Museum Davos. Between 2012 and 2023, she headed the Department of Modern Art at the Hamburger Kunsthalle. In 2004, she served as a Member of the Supervisory Board at Bechtle AG until 2017.
Key Business Strategies
Schick's wealth stems from her stake in Bechtle AG, an IT company. Bechtle has more than 12,000 employees and revenues exceeding $6.5 billion. The company has grown significantly through an aggressive M&A strategy, completing more than 100 acquisitions since 1993. Schick stepped down from Bechtle's advisory board in 2017 to focus on social projects through the Schick family foundation.
Philanthropy
The Schick family is involved in charitable work and founded the Community Knowledge Center (CKC) in Tanzania in 2012, which provides internet access and computer courses. In 2022, Karin Schick founded the Gerhard and Ilse Schick Foundation to continue her family's charitable efforts and honor her parents' legacy.