Jochen Zeitz

Here is a detailed profile and “biography-style” article on Jochen Zeitz:

Jochen Zeitz – Life, Career, and Vision

Jochen Zeitz (born April 6, 1963) is a German business executive, sustainability pioneer, and art patron. He is known for his leadership at Puma, his role as CEO of Harley-Davidson, and founding the Zeitz Foundation and Zeitz MOCAA.

Introduction

Jochen Zeitz is a German businessman and visionary leader who has blended commercial success with sustainability, philanthropy, and cultural patronage. As former CEO of Puma (for nearly two decades), and later as Chairman, President & CEO of Harley-Davidson, Zeitz has been a prominent figure in global business. But beyond corporate leadership, he is also deeply engaged in environmental conservation, art, and the integration of business with social purpose.

His journey reflects an evolving model of leadership—where profitability, responsibility, and legacy intersect.

Early Life and Education

Jochen Zeitz was born on April 6, 1963, in Mannheim, Germany.

He attended the European Business School (EBS), specializing in international marketing and finance.

Before entering the business world, Zeitz briefly studied medicine in Florence and later switched to economics/business administration.

Early in his professional life, he worked for Colgate-Palmolive in New York and Hamburg.

Career and Achievements

Puma & Transformation

Zeitz joined Puma in 1990.

When he took over, Puma was in financial distress. Under his direction, he led a restructuring and repositioned the company as a premium sports & lifestyle brand.

Zeitz also introduced PUMAVision, an ethical / values-based framework for business behavior, defined by four principles: Fair, Honest, Positive, and Creative (the “4Keys”)—which were applied across organizational practices.

A notable innovation under his leadership was the Environmental Profit & Loss (EP&L) account—an approach to quantify in monetary terms the environmental impacts of Puma’s supply chain and operations.

Zeitz stepped down from operational leadership at Puma around 2010, shifting more focus toward sustainability, philanthropy, and other ventures.

Role at Harley-Davidson & LiveWire

Jochen Zeitz has been a board member of Harley-Davidson since 2007 and chaired its sustainability committee from early on.

In early 2020, Zeitz became interim CEO, and by May 2020, he was officially named President, CEO & Chairman of Harley-Davidson.

Under his leadership, Harley introduced a strategic plan known as “The Hardwire”, aimed at reinforcing core product lines, expanding parts/accessories/financial services, and supporting the growth of electric motorcycles through the LiveWire brand.

LiveWire was spun out as a publicly traded company in September 2022, with Zeitz playing key roles in that transition.

In 2025, Zeitz announced his intention to retire as CEO of Harley-Davidson, effective October 1, 2025, subject to finding a successor.

Conservation, Philanthropy & Culture

Zeitz is deeply engaged in environmental conservation and cultural patronage:

• In 2008 he founded the Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety, promoting projects that balance conservation, community development, culture, and commerce (the so-called “4Cs” approach).

• He owns or helps manage the Segera Conservancy in Kenya (≈ 50,000 acres of wildlife habitat), and launched the Segera Retreat, a sustainable eco-safari lodge.

• He is the co-founder and sponsor of The Long Run, a global network of nature-based tourism initiatives committed to sustainability across many countries.

• In the arts, Zeitz was instrumental in founding the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, South Africa. The museum, which opened in 2017, is dedicated to contemporary African art and houses Zeitz’s collection.

• Zeitz has also co-written books: Prayer, Profit and Principles – Monk and Manager (with Anselm Grün) and The Breakthrough Challenge (with John Elkington).

• He has also served on boards such as Kering, Wilderness Safaris, Kenya Wildlife Service, Cranemere, and is co-founder of The B Team with Richard Branson (a network of business leaders promoting socially responsible practices).

Personality, Values & Leadership Style

Zeitz is widely regarded as a leader who strives to integrate purpose and profitability. His management philosophy emphasizes long-term resilience, ethical frameworks, ecological accounting, and corporate responsibility.

He is often outspoken about sustainability, believing that businesses should be accountable not just to shareholders but to communities and ecosystems.

Zeitz is also multilingual (reportedly speaking several languages including Swahili) and well immersed in both Western and African cultural contexts.

He has sometimes courted controversy: for example, he once referred to being labeled a “sustainable Taliban” for his environmental stance while on a board of luxury fashion company Kering.

Notable Quotes

While Zeitz is less quoted than public figures in entertainment, here are a few statements attributed to him:

“I became the Taliban again in a sustainable way.”
— referring to being called “sustainable Taliban” in criticism of his environmental advocacy

Regarding his leadership transformation at Puma:

“We can turn a failing company into one that is profitable and principled.”
— a paraphrase reflecting his philosophy and repeated narrative in interviews

From an interview:

“I started at Colgate-Palmolive … then at Puma, we introduced PUMAVision… I believe in contributing to a new paradigm of corporate social, environmental and financial sustainability.”

Lessons from Jochen Zeitz’s Journey

1. Turnaround leadership with values
   His transformation of Puma demonstrates that institutional renewal can be paired with ethical culture, not just cost-cutting.

2. Sustainability as strategic advantage
   The EP&L concept and integrated environmental thinking show that caring for ecosystems can be woven into business models, not just appended as “CSR.”

3. Expect evolution, not fixed identity
   Zeitz’s shift from sportswear executive to conservationist, museum founder, and sustainable brand leader reflects flexibility and purpose-driven reinvention.

4. Embed long-term thinking
   He emphasizes that companies must think across generations—balancing immediate results with legacy, ecological footprint, and social impact.

5. Cultural humility & global immersion matter
   His work in Africa, multilingual orientation, and partnership with local communities show how leaders benefit from cross-cultural sensitivity rather than imposing top-down models.

6. Purpose draws legacy beyond profit
   The founding of institutions like Zeitz MOCAA ensures that his impact extends into culture, heritage, and collective memory.

Conclusion

Jochen Zeitz exemplifies a modern archetype of business leadership—one that does not see a strict divide between profit and purpose. His career shows how a leader can reinvent brands, pioneer environmental accounting, steward conservation, and invest in art and culture while sustaining corporate relevance.