Max Otte, born in 1964 in Plettenberg, functions as an economist, entrepreneur, and fund manager with both German and United States citizenship. Throughout a career spanning academic research, consultancy for international organizations, and financial journalism, he has maintained a public profile as a commentator on economic policy and global market trends.
Academic Foundations and Early Professional Roles
Otte completed his secondary education at Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium Plettenberg before studying business administration, economics, and political science at the University of Cologne between 1983 and 1989. During this period, he spent an academic year at the American University in Washington, D.C. His postgraduate studies were conducted at Princeton University, where he earned a Master of Arts in Public Affairs in 1991 and completed his doctorate in 1997. Early in his career, he worked as a consultant for Kienbaum and Partners and later at Arthur D. Little, providing advisory services to entities such as the German Federal Ministry of Economics and the United Nations.
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Academic roles have formed a consistent part of his professional life. He served as an assistant professor at Boston University from 1998 to 2000 and helped establish the Executive MBA Program at the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg. In 2001, he took a tenured professorship at Worms University of Applied Sciences, teaching subjects including international business, finance, and investment. He later held a professorship at Karl Franzens University in Graz from 2011 to 2016, eventually retiring from civil service in 2018. He has also maintained a lectureship at the University of Erfurt.
Financial Management and Investment Strategies
Otte entered the fund management industry in 2005. He founded the Institut für Vermögensentwicklung in 2003. His involvement in fund advisory roles includes the Pléiade Actions Privatinvestor fund and the PI Global Value Fund, which launched in March 2008. His management performance has received attention from industry journals, notably earning him the title of Money Manager of the Year from readers of Börse Online in 2009 and 2010. His investment strategies have at times generated public discussion regarding both their market efficacy and his specific tactical decisions, such as the 2015 sale of gold mining stocks.
Public Policy and Political Activity
His career in opinion journalism and political activism has been marked by his prolific authorship, starting with academic texts and shifting toward financial policy critiques. Notable publications include his 2006 work, Der Crash kommt, which analyzed stock market risks. His political trajectory involved long-term membership in the CDU, which he joined in 1991. He chaired the board of trustees for the Desiderius-Erasmus-Foundation from 2018 until 2021 and led the Werteunion from May 2021. Following his nomination as a presidential candidate by the AfD, he faced formal expulsion proceedings from the CDU, which were concluded in August 2022.
Fast facts
- Born: 1964, Plettenberg
- Citizenship: Germany, United States
- Doctorate: Princeton University, 1997
- Primary Fields: Economics, Entrepreneurship, Journalism
- CDU Member: 1991–2022
- Languages: German
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Max Otte's authored books?
His books primarily address financial policy, global economic crises, and, in his 2021 title, personal family history.
Was Max Otte a member of a political party?
Yes, he was a member of the CDU from 1991 until his formal expulsion in August 2022.
Achievements
- Affiliated with University of Graz
- Educated at University of Cologne and American University
