The RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research mourns the loss of its honorary member, Dr. Dietmar Kuhnt. He passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 88. With his passing, the institute has lost a colleague who helped shape the relationship between business and academia in Essen for decades.

Dietmar Kuhnt was born on November 16, 1937, in Breslau. He studied law in Cologne and Freiburg and earned his doctorate in law (Dr. jur.) in 1966. That same year, he began his professional career at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft in Essen.

In 1968, Kuhnt moved to RWE. There, he headed the legal department starting in 1977 and later rose to the Executive Board of RWE Energie AG. From 1995 to 2003, he served as Chairman of the Executive Board of RWE AG.

Dietmar Kuhnt had been associated with the RWI since 1995 as a member of the Governing Board and, beginning in 1996, also as Chairman of the Society of Friends and Sponsors of the RWI. The “RWI Economic Talks” series was launched on his initiative: to this day, high-ranking representatives from politics, business, society, and academia engage in lively debates with RWI researchers on economic policy issues. In 2008, the RWI honored this commitment by granting him honorary membership.

“Dietmar Kuhnt supported the RWI with advice and assistance over many years and, with great personal dedication, championed dialogue between business and academia,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas K. Bauer, Vice President of the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research. “With his passing, we lose a wise and reliable colleague to whom the Institute owes a great deal.”

The RWI extends its deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Dietmar Kuhnt. The Institute will honor his memory.