Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt Linked to Daughter of German Politician
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, 70, is reportedly romantically linked to Gloria-Sophie Burkandt, 27, the daughter of Markus Söder, Bavaria’s powerful minister-president. The connection between the tech billionaire and the German model and PhD candidate has drawn attention in both European and American media, highlighting the intersection of political and business elites.
Burkandt, who splits her time between Recent York, Los Angeles and Germany, was seen with Schmidt at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, according to German daily Bild. “Who is the woman Eric Schmidt (70) has fallen in love with?” read a headline from the publication, accompanied by a photo of Burkandt in traditional Bavarian attire.
Sources close to Schmidt have described the relationship as a “friendship, not a relationship,” but reports indicate Burkandt is “far more than a friend” to the former Google executive. Burkandt is the eldest daughter of Markus Söder, one of Germany’s most prominent conservative politicians.
According to her Instagram profile, Burkandt has an “impressive background as an economist, model, and author.” She is believed to be working on her PhD thesis in New York City.
A representative for Schmidt declined to comment on the matter, and Burkandt was not immediately available for comment. The connection has sparked considerable media coverage in Germany, with some outlets noting the age difference between the two. The New York Post reported on the attention the pairing has received in the German press.
The development underscores the increasing interconnectedness of global political and business circles, and the continued scrutiny faced by high-profile figures.
