National rank
#4
Position in the 2026 German CEO Performance Ranking.
CEO & company research profile · Reviewed 2026-09-13
Tim Höttges: Deutsche Telekom
Tim Höttges ranks #4 in the 2026 German CEO Performance Ranking with a Meridian score of 86.2. This expanded profile shows the operating record, strategic case, risk factors and category scores behind that result.
Meridian score
86.2 / 100
Composite score using the common seven-factor Meridian framework.
Company
Deutsche Telekom
A nationally significant listed company included in the 2026 research universe.
Leadership tenure
Deutsche Telekom CEO since January 2014
Tenure is considered when deciding how much operating evidence can reasonably be attributed to the current CEO.
Operating record
2025 performance snapshot
Deutsche Telekom reported 2025 net revenue of €119.1bn and adjusted EBITDA AL of €44.2bn, both higher year on year, while continuing major network investment.
Service revenue and adjusted EBITDA continued to grow while the group maintained strong cash generation and network investment.
Seven-factor score breakdown
| Factor | Weight | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Shareholder performance | 25% | 87 / 100 |
| Revenue & earnings | 20% | 89 / 100 |
| Capital efficiency | 15% | 88 / 100 |
| Strategic execution | 15% | 91 / 100 |
| Innovation & future investment | 10% | 88 / 100 |
| Workforce signal | 10% | 84 / 100 |
| Governance | 5% | 87 / 100 |
Category scores are editorial-data assessments based on the published methodology and available public evidence. They are designed for comparative research, not investment advice.
Strategic assessment
Strategic execution
Use T-Mobile US scale, fibre, 5G, cloud and digital services to increase recurring service revenue and cash generation.
Capital allocation
Large network investment is balanced by strong free cash flow and a disciplined shareholder-return framework.
Innovation and future investment
5G, fibre, cloud, cybersecurity and AI-enabled operations are embedded across the group rather than treated as isolated ventures.
Workforce and operating model
Transformation increasingly focuses on software, digital skills and automation across a very large incumbent workforce.
What could change the ranking
Risks and counterweights
Capital intensity, regulation, spectrum costs and dependence on US performance constrain the score.
Future editions can move the score materially when annual results, acquisitions, capital-allocation decisions, management changes, regulatory events or significant governance developments alter the evidence base.
View the primary or investor source used for this profile.
Meridian uses annual reports, official results, filings and attributable investor disclosures as the primary evidence layer. Comparative scores are versioned and may change as new evidence becomes available.