Career
He was one of the founders of Systems, Applications and Products AG in 1972 with other former International Business Machines Corporation employees Hans Werner Hector, Klaus Tschira, Claus Wellenreuther and Hasso Plattner. He kept about 10% of the company"s shares after leaving the board. After Hopp left in 2005, the street on which the Systems, Applications and Products AG headquarters are located was renamed from Neurottstraße to Dietmar-Hopp-Allee, in honor of Mr.
Hopp.
In 2006, Hopp transferred 70% of his wealth (about €4 billion) to a charitable foundation, Dietmar-Hopp-Stiftung, creating one of the largest foundations in Europe. The foundation supports sports, medicine, education and social programs. Hopp is the chief financial backer of the German football club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
When Hopp, who had played in the club"s youth setup, started supporting the club in 2000, Hoffenheim were playing in the fifth division of German football.
Today, Hoffenheim are in the First Bundesliga, and in their first season in the top flight in 2008-2009, they led the league at its winter break. Hopp also spent €100 million to build a new 30,000-seat stadium called Rhein-Neckar-Arena near Sinsheim for the club
He owns a home in Naples, Florida, United States. Hopp is the owner of the Domaine de Terre Blanche, a resort in the South of France, which he bought from the actor Sean Connery.