Born in Hamburg in 1950, Claus Heinemann completed an apprenticeship in a bank following his graduation from secondary school. Subsequently, he went on to earn a degree in economics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. Over the next 18 months he gained vocational experience with tobacco and spirits companies in Neuchatel and London.
As the son of Helmut Heinemann, he joined the family company Gebr Heinemann in 1979 as a general partner and member of the Board of Directors.
Claus lives in central Hamburg with his wife and daughter. He is a devotee of classical music and spends his free time sailing, skiing and playing tennis.