Susanne Klatten, Germany’s richest woman, has an­nounced plans to become an anchor investor in the carbon products maker SGL Carbon. The move highlights efforts by listed German com­panies to woo family owners to shield them from unwanted takeovers after drastic stock market devaluations.

Mrs Klatten announced on Monday she had bought a 7.9 per cent stake in SGL Carbon and planned to use low asset prices to raise this to just less than 25 per cent, which would, in effect, give her veto power over important decisions.