Catherine Dussmann at the helm of a €3.4bn services group.

For many Berliners, Dussmann means the bookshop on Friedrichstraße. Behind it stands a services group whose consolidated revenue reached €3.4 billion in 2025. Catherine von Fürstenberg-Dussmann chairs its board of trustees.

Taking responsibility for a family business

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Catherine worked in acting and interior design before moving to Germany after marrying entrepreneur Peter Dussmann. Her Munzinger biography documents her American background and move to Germany.

Peter founded the company in 1963. After he became seriously ill, Catherine took on a growing role in its oversight. The company’s chronology records her appointment as supervisory board chair in April 2009, followed by chair of the board of trustees in January 2011. Wolf-Dieter Adlhoch leads the executive board today.

The business behind the bookshop

The group’s 2025 results, announced on 12 May 2026, report €3.4 billion in revenue, up 3.8%. Dussmann operates in 23 countries. The group employs 72,000 people worldwide.

The main services division generated €2.8 billion of that total. Its work includes facilities management, catering and technical plant engineering. At pharmaceutical production sites, that includes specialised cleaning and maintenance. Other teams serve meals, maintain building systems and provide security.

A business for working parents

Catherine helped develop the group’s KulturKindergarten business, described in a 2011 Tagesspiegel profile. The service today combines childcare near parents’ workplaces with extended, flexible hours and bilingual education.

Dussmann’s best-known Berlin retail business also grew: the KulturKaufhaus reported €48 million in 2025 revenue, as covered by IHK Berlin’s business magazine.