Dr. Maren Gräfe and Dr. Claudia Klümpen-Neusel share years of experience at the auditing firm PwC. There they successfully worked together on complex and cross-border projects laying the foundation for a lasting personal and professional relationship. This history resulted in a particular affinity for tax advice on complex securities and investment assets on the one hand, and tax, legal and strategic advice to families or the structuring of assets from an owner-strategic perspective on the other
”We are a great team and complement each other perfectly. Professionally, we both set high standards for ourselves. Personally, I particularly appreciate Maren's agility and the radiance she emanates!
Dr. Claudia Klümpen-Neusel
After PwC, the two founders were initially drawn to medium-sized consulting firms of the so-called “Next Ten”, where experience showed that great importance is attached to advising individuals and the private level of entrepreneurial families and executives in industry. While Dr. Gräfe took over as head of the entrepreneurial families and family offices department at BDO, Dr. Klümpen-Neusel joined Warth & Klein Grant Thornton as part of the private finance division management.
Despite the physical separation, the two remained in contact with each other through professional exchange and personal contact until they got down to business in the summer of 2021. This is when they merged both their expertise and their teams under one roof. The two working mothers know from their own experience that it is not always easy to reconcile professional commitment with family interests. As a former competitive athlete, Dr. Klümpen-Neusel is no stranger to high pressure. Yet Dr. Gräfe also knows:
”You’re always wearing two hats. We try to take this into account in our consulting work and cushion conflicts by making smart arrangements at an early stage. But also, in our day-to-day work as a team: we feel like one family.
Dr. Maren Gräfe
The founders aim to create an excellent consulting service based on a clear concept of values. The gkn team is aware of its role and guiding function as consultants and therefore places a strong focus on sustainable and personal solutions. The needs of future generations are also considered along the way.
gkn takes an integrated and holistic approach for private individuals, entrepreneurial families, single family offices and foundations. In addition to legal and tax consulting, there is also a focus on economic and owner-strategic aspects.
