Manufacturing
Chairman, president and CEO
Harley-Davidson Inc. | Milwaukee
Jochen Zeitz took the helm of Harley-Davidson Inc. in 2020. The iconic Milwaukee brand has since gone public with “The Rewire,” its five-year streamlining plan; acquired StaCyc, maker of kids electric bikes; completed a spinoff of its LiveWire electric motorcycle division (of which Zeitz serves as chairman and CEO); and issued stock to 4,500 of its roughly 5,800 employees.
In the fall, Zeitz made waves when he said the company is planning to repurpose its historic, 500,000-square-foot corporate headquarters complex in Milwaukee. The move is a response to the company’s shift to remote work, Zeitz said. In 2021, the company had 890 corporate headquarters employees, down from 1,062 in 2018. Zeitz splits his time between Milwaukee and New Mexico, according to Bloomberg. In a subsequent statement, Zeitz said the company is “excited about the ideas we have to invest in our Milwaukee campuses for the future.” The Harley-Davidson Museum recently opened its new 8,200-square-foot event space, The Garage.
Outside Harley, Zeitz co-founded The B Team with British billionaire Richard Branson. That organization advocates for better and more climate-friendly business practices. Zeitz also founded the Zeitz Collection, which contains contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. The collection is held and exhibited in Kenya, Spain, Switzerland and South Africa.
Zeitz’s foundation is dedicated to developing ecologically responsible projects in Kenya. In 2019, the Zeitz Foundation launched “The Long Run,” a sustainable tourism initiative.
Education: European Business School
