Married ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s viral photos with 27-year-old model spark situationship rumours

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has fuelled scandalous situationship rumours online after photos of him with a 27-year-old German model in Davos went viral on social media. As per reports, Schmidt who is allegedly in an 'open marriage' with his wife may be in a situation with Sophie Burkandt.

During the World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland, from 19-23 January, the 70-year-old tech billionaire was spotted with the woman half his age by YouTube channel Rebel News. As Schmidt was avoiding answering the questions in the video, Burkandt could be seen walking alongside him. Later, it was revealed that

Is Eric Schmidt dating Sophie Burkandt?

While numerous dignitaries attend the event from across the world and go viral for more than just their work, Schmidt's spotting has surely raised eyebrows online. As per a report by German publication, the Bild, Schmidt and Burkandt have been spending time together.

Though they are not said to be in a relationship, they are likely calling themselves "close friends." It seems the CEO is jumping on the 'situationship' trend, if his romantic life is to be defined with modern dating terms.

They reportedly met at Harvard University in November 2025 and are expected to meet at the Munich Security Conference being held from February 13-15, 2026.

Who are Eric Schmidt and Sophie Burkandt?

While Schmidt has a fortune estimated at $37.3 billion in 2026, Burkandt is a model known from television and the daughter of Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, who is also the leader of the conservative CSU party.

Along with being an author, she is a patron of the Richard Wagner for Children project which is a part of the prestigious Bayreuth Festival. She studied economics, has a bachelor's and master's degree and is working on her doctorate. Recently, she shot a documentary for ProSieben, one of Germany's largest private television networks.

As for Schmidt, he was the CEO and chairman of Google for fourteen years from 2001 to 2015. He went on to become the Executive Chairman and technical advisor of Alphabet Inc. for the next five years. Currently, he is the CEO and chair of Relativity Space along with being a founding partner in Innovation Endeavors. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Princeton University and a Master's and PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from the University of California, Berkley.

A situationship amid an open marriage?

One of the most interesting aspects of Schmidt being photographed with Burkandt and the reason why the sighting of the two has been creating enraged buzz on social media, is that the billionaire is hitched.

He has been married to Wendy Schmidt since 1980, for a whopping 46 years. Recently spotted at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, the couple makes numerous public appearances together and seems affectionate too. They have two daughters Sophie and Alison. Alison passed away due to a long illness in 2017. Wendy Schmidt is the president of the Schmidt Family Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting programs that help people and communities. Additionally, the couple founded Schmidt Ocean Institute which supports ocean research.

However, as per numerous American media reports, the couple have been living in an 'open marriage' for many years. "It’s been known for years that the Schmidts have this ‘arrangement.’ Eric Schmidt regularly appears with younger women, but this has nothing to do with real romance or partnership," said an insider to The New York Post.

This is also not Schmidt's first romantic venture outside his marriage. He was in a relationship with American entrepreneur Michelle Ritter from 2020 to 2024. He went as far as to invest a shocking $100 million in her AI startup. However, in October 2025, Ritter filed a lawsuit against him, accusing the billionaire of abuse, stalking and even digital surveillance. Schmidt called these allegations 'demonstrably false' and denied them through his enemies.

Burkandt was last associated with businessman Florian Moerth romantically, with the two being spotted together at the Oktoberfest in 2022.

Schmidt and Burkandt have not made things official but their spotting surely raises an image of a hush-hush romance that is spilling with power and future.