Klaus-Michael Fortmann was born in Lübeck (Northern Germany) in 1945. He studied engineering sciences at RWTH Aachen University. As subject of his doctoral dissertation he developed a new method for analyzing small crystal particles, using transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction patterns (single crystals), energy dispersive analysis and a powder diffraction database. During his dissertation at the Institute of Mineral Engineering he was head of physical department (electron microscopy, optical microscopy, x-ray analysis).

Subsequent to his promotion he worked as management consultant in a company that developed software for nine years. During that time he specialized in materials management and logistics. For the following nine years he worked in another company as management consultant as well. By this time he focussed on work shop organization, order processing, project management, materials management and logistics.

In 1996 he was appointed as professor of economics, especially procurement and materials management. Since 1998 he is professor of economics, especially logistics at the same faculty of economics, Gelsenkirchen.

Between 2005 and 2008 he performed several logistics workshops (two days each) for the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacy as part of an educational programme for specialized pharmacists.

He was co-writer of the following books: „Die Technische Datenverarbeitung“, Düsseldorf 1990, „Allgemeine Betriebswirtschaftslehre“, Troisdorf 2003, „Das neue Lexikon der BWL“, Berlin 2005, „Logistik“, Stuttgart 2007.

Together with his family he lives in Essen, Germany.