Max Conze

Maximilian Conze (born 1969) has been Chief Executive of Dyson since 2011 in which time he has focused on a strategy of geographic expansion in Asia and a deepening of the company's product portfolio. In 2015 Dyson recorded turnover of £1.74bn (up 26% on prior year) boosted by growing demand for high-performance vacuum cleaners and air purifiers among consumers in Asian countries. Announcing the results, Conze revealed that the company has 40 products in development, 50 active research programmes with 20 universities and that it intends to invest £1bn in new battery technology.

Early life

Conze was born in the German city of Bielefeld and lived across Germany. He spent two years as a lieutenant in the parachute regiment of the German army before reading Business Administration at Abbott Turner College of Business, Columbus State University, United States.

Career

Procter & Gamble

Conze worked for Procter & Gamble for 17 years (1993-2010), initially in Marketing as an Assistant Brand Manager, becoming Marketing Director of Global Skincare from 2000 to 2001 and Senior Marketing Director Beauty Greater China from 2004 to 2007. Following these stints in the UK, Switzerland, US and China, he left P&G as Managing Director D-A-CH in 2010.

Dyson

Conze joined Dyson as President, North America in 2010 and in September 2011 Conze succeeded Martin McCourt as Chief Executive Officer of Dyson.

Under Conze’s leadership, Dyson has continued to experience strong growth and enter into new categories. In November 2014, Conze announced that Dyson will launch 100 new products around the world over the next four years.

Conze is focused on growing Dyson’s business in Asia; Japan is already Dyson’s second biggest market. And since becoming CEO, Dyson has opened offices in both Shanghai and Hong Kong and is now market leader in Taiwan.

Dyson recently announced a £1.5bn investment into research and development of future technologies. The plan is routed in an ongoing expansion of Dyson’s engineering departments, working with universities to develop a technology pipeline that stretches 25 years into the future. Conze is passionate about the potential of young people and the benefits of recruiting talent fresh out of university, believing that they are more willing to take risks and think unconventionally. Dyson’s expansion in Malmesbury will create 3000 new science and engineering jobs in the UK, many of which will be graduate level.

Personal life

Conze is married with two children. He lives in the Cotswolds, England, and enjoys horse riding with his family, as well as skiing and sailing.