Joe Kaeser

Joe Kaeser (born Josef Käser; 23 June 1957) is a German manager who was CEO of Siemens AG from 2013 to 2021.

Early life Kaeser was born in Arnbruck, in the Bavarian Forest in West Germany, on June 23, 1957. He spent his early life in education throughout Germany. Following his studies in business administration at the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences, he joined Siemens in 1980.

Career Career at Siemens Kaeser previously held various business administration management positions, including a term at the Siemens Components Operations in Malacca, Malaysia (1987–1988). In 1990 he was appointed vice president of business administration of the Opto Semiconductors Division. In 1994 Kaeser first was executive vice president and chief financial officer, and later CEO of the group's American subsidiary Siemens Components, located in Cupertino, California, as well as at Siemens Microelectronics, in neighboring San Jose.

Since 2013, Kaeser has accompanied Chancellor Angela Merkel on nine state visits abroad, including to China (2014, 2016, 2018) India (2015), Egypt (2017), Tunisia (2017), Argentina (2017), Mexico (2017) and Saudi Arabia (2017). He also travelled with Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel to the US and Mexico in 2017.

During the Hannover Messe in April 2016, Kaeser was among the 15 German CEOs who were invited to a private dinner with US President Barack Obama. He was also part of Merkel's delegation on the occasion of her first visit to US President Donald Trump in March 2017. At the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos, he attended a dinner for Trump with a group of European CEOs.

In January 2020 Kaeser along with the Siemens board of directors invited an environmental activist a role on its board as it made a decision with mining giant Adani.

Russian visit during the 2014 annexation of Crimea

Kaeser travelled to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in April 2014 to re-affirm Siemens' commitment to Russian profits despite widespread international condemnation of Russian military intervention. The move was widely criticized in the Western World, including by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. However Kaeser wasn't the only one who had a more pro-Russian mood at that time; many other prominent Germans like former chancellors Helmut Schmidt and Gehard Schroeder voiced their concern for more understanding of Russia's views, including some in Merkel's own party, like Peter Gauweiler or Armin Laschet, who all faced criticism in the German Press. Later, former US Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski revealed that the former World Bank Chief Robert Zoellick aggressively pressured Kaeser due to his Russian visit. Zoellick reminded Kaeser that his company has more business in the United States than in Russia, and it would have negative consequences if he kept following the Russian path.

Later career In 2023, EIG Global Energy Partners appointed Kaeser as Senior Advisor.

Other activities Corporate boards Linde plc, Member of the board of directors (since 2021) Daimler Truck, Chair of the supervisory board (since 2021) Siemens Energy AG, Chair of the supervisory board (since 2020) Allianz Deutschland AG, Member of the supervisory board JPMorgan Chase, Member of the International Council (since 2015) NXP Semiconductors, Member of the board of directors (2010–2022) Daimler AG, Member of the supervisory board (2014–2021)

Non-profit organizations Munich Security Conference, Chair of the Advisory Council (since 2023) Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), Chairman (since 2019) Federation of German Industries (BDI), Member of the Presidium (2017–2019) European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), Member Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the board of trustees Deutscher Zukunftspreis, Member of the board of trustees European School of Management and Technology (ESMT), Member of the board of trustees Goethe Institute, Member of the Business and Industry Advisory Board Technical University of Munich (TUM), Member of the board of trustees Trilateral Commission, Member of the European Group Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, Member of the Board World Economic Forum Member of Board of Trustees

Honours

2017 – Prize for Understanding and Tolerance, awarded by the Jewish Museum Berlin