Ralph Dommermuth

Dommermuth was born in 1963 and raised as the son of a realtor in Montabaur, Germany. He has one brother. After initial training at the Deutsche Bank, he started to work as sales freelancer for a local PC dealer in his hometown Montabaur in 1983.[2]

In 1988, Dommermuth founded the 1&1 EDV Marketing GmbH together with a business partner. The first business idea was called "Software Börse", a marketing tool for software companies. For this product the company won the German direct marketing prize in 1989.[3] The Company also organized special exhibitions at the CEBIT in Hannover, such as the "Software-Zentrum Mittelstand" and "Software for Europe."[4][5] In 1992, his company 1&1 was commissioned by Deutsche Telekom to sell Bildschirmtext-access-points and later T-Online accounts.[3]

After the initial success as a marketing service provider Dommermuth converted 1&1 into an internet service provider, beginning in 1996.[6] In March 1998, the company had its IPO as the first German Internet company.[7] Due to the capital increase carried out in this context, 1&1 had opportunity to participate in other IT companies such as GMX and Schlund + Partner AG. At the height of the internet boom in the early 2000s, 1&1 Holding held shares in 17 internet companies and Dommermuth renamed the company to United Internet.[8]

Dommermuth owns 40% of United Internet, the Germany-headquartered broadband provider, which manages the 1&1, GMX and Web.de brands, with 2015 turnover of Euro 3.7 billion, and 48 million customers in 11 countries.[9]

Dommermuth is Germany's sole Internet billionaire, and the country's youngest self-made billionaire.[10]

In 2017, when federal elections took place in Germany, the largest donation to a political party was provided by Dommermuth, Euro 500,000 Euro to the CDU, Germany's conservative party.[11]

Dommermuth has a child from an earlier marriage.[12] He is married to Judith Berger, a model, and they live in Montabaur.[12][13]