Eric Schmidt, 70, has a reputation for moving through life at full tilt—tech titan, billionaire, occasional romancer. His latest headline-grabbing companion is Gloria-Sophie Burkandt, a 27-year-old German model and PhD student whose father is Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria, and whose mother, Ulrike Burkandt, commands equal attention in political circles.
The pair were spotted at Davos in January, sparking whispers. A source close to Schmidt insists she’s just a “friend.” It’s a claim that raises eyebrows, given Schmidt’s history. In 2019, he courted Alexandra Duisberg, 32 years his junior, and reportedly gifted her a 10-carat pink sapphire ring worth millions.
Bild framed the Davos pairing in blunt terms: “Former Google CEO in Love With the Daughter of a German.” Schmidt, worth an estimated $54.6 billion, has been married to Wendy Schmidt for four decades in what is understood to be an open arrangement. Burkandt, meanwhile, juggles life across Germany, Los Angeles, and New York, where she owns a Midtown South apartment, and has graced the pages of Vogue Turkey.
Insiders say Schmidt and Burkandt share interests and social circuits. “She’s curious about some of the same things he discussed at Davos—AI, the future of Europe,” says a source. Burkandt’s own posts suggest a mind tuned to big-picture thinking: she recently wrote about hope for a future that protects curiosity, freedom, and compassion.
The two are expected to cross paths again at the Munich Security Conference, Feb. 13–15, though sources note her attendance is partly familial, as her family helps organize the event. For now, Schmidt moves among familiar circles, continuing his pattern of high-profile connections and headline-making associations.
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Last modified: February 16, 2026
