As CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG from 2002-2006, Kai-Uwe Ricke was responsible for the debt reduction and restructuring program that set the stage for the company’s return to profitability. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as COO for Deutsche Telekom's mobile and internet business. From 1998-2001, Kai-Uwe served first as CEO of Deutsche Telekom’s German mobile subsidiary T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH, and then as CEO of T-Mobile International AG. In this role he oversaw the integration of a variety of international mobile businesses including Voicestream in the US.

Prior to Deutsche Telekom, Kai-Uwe co-founded and was CEO of Talkline GmbH, a startup for service provisioning in mobile communication in the German telecommunication market. The company was successfully sold to Tele Danmark AS. Kai-Uwe began his career at Bertelsmann AG, Guetersloh and shortly thereafter became Marketing Director of their Scandinavian sister company.

Kai-Uwe is a Member of the Board of Generali S.p.A. and Saudi Oger Telecom Ltd, as well as a Member of the Supervisory Board of United Internet AG. He is active in the MENA – Region as Chairman of the International Advisory Board of Delta Partners, a Dubai-based advisory and private equity firm. He is also the non-executive Chairman of Apollo Investment Europe, a European mezzanine fund, as well as a board member and co-investor at Kabel Baden-Württemberg GmbH and Easy Cash GmbH.

Kai-Uwe studied economics at the European Business School in Wiesbaden and Paris, and at the American Graduate School of International Management in Phoenix, Arizona.