Most affluent businessmen are written about for their incredible shopping sprees, but German multi-millionaire Lars Windhorst is on a selling-spree. After getting rid of his German football team Hertha BSC, the tycoon is selling his stunner-of-a-superyacht Global. What is alarming is the price at which he is willing to let go of this Lurssen beauty.
For $85 million, the co-founder of Tennor Group will bid adieu to a luxury vessel that was valued at $115 million only a year ago. The $30 million discount does aerate news of his bankruptcy, and the sale may be a buoy that would help the German Bill Gates, as he is famously nicknamed, stay afloat in the financial turmoil.
The pleasure craft may look familiar to yacht enthusiasts as it was formerly owned by billionaire Shahid Khan and was also called Kismet Yacht. The fire sale of Global yacht measuring 242 feet is handled by IYC (International Yacht Company) for a bargain price considering the trappings of the pleasure craft. Let’s delve into the luxuries of the Global motoryacht and why it is a steal with a price tag of $85 million.
Global superyacht, a pleasure for sea-farers around the globe-
Originally commissioned by Shahid Khan, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the yacht named Global (formerly known as Kismet) was delivered in 2007. It underwent a refit in 2024, making Global a truly sought-after yacht that was opulently designed.
The spacious accommodations of the six-decker include six cabins for 12 guests. The master suite flaunts a king-size bed, whirlpool bath, private balconies, and a VIP suite. The luxurious list of amenities includes an impressive helicopter deck, a beach club complete with a sauna and massage room, a meeting room as Windhorst is known to conduct business on his superyacht with associates per Bild.
He also frequents his boat around Christmas as work is slow and people are off their phones. The interiors are a motley of wood and veneer finishes in every warm hue of brown. It is complemented by neutral-colored flooring to create a balance. The 1906 GT boat is stealth with a maximum speed of 16 knots, and an impressive range of 5000 nautical miles.
Who is the man nicknamed ‘German Bill Gates?’
The 48-year-old Lars Windhorst became a household name in Germany as a teenage entrepreneur which earned him the moniker. Windhorst was the co-founder of the Sapinda group that later changed into the Tennor group with investments in lingerie brand La Perla, Hertha Berlin football club, and superyacht builder Nobiskrug, the yard behind greats like Tatoosh, Artefact, and Sailing Yacht A.
The businessman has seen more rise and fall than an electrocardiogram, especially post-pandemic when La Perla was shuttered to pay taxes, Avatera Medical filed for insolvency.
According to Bloomberg, in 2022, he was forced to sell his stake in the football club Hertha Berlin. Even at the time of writing, the German financier faces court in London while trying to get investors onboard for new deals. If there ever can be a poster for the ‘never say die’ spirit, it will feature only Windhorst. His personal net worth is believed to be around 800 million euros ($870 million). He once lost a private jet on a snowy Christmas; he also lost an ear (it was later attached), has braved economic firestorms time and again, and he isn’t even 50 yet!
