Former Marketing Operations Director EMEA for Harley Davidson Motor Company, Global Marketing Director for Aston Martin Lagonda LTD & Author of ‘The Guiding Purpose Strategy’
Markus Kramer’s Biography:
Markus Kramer is a globally recognised brand strategist, marketing expert and keynote speaker with more than 25 years of executive and board-level experience helping organisations strengthen their positioning, reputation and long-term growth. Having worked with internationally renowned brands including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Harley-Davidson, DHL, Breitling, Vertu and Miele, Markus is renowned for translating complex branding challenges into practical commercial strategies. His expertise spans strategic positioning, organisational culture, communication, retail development and 21st-century marketing, making him a highly sought-after speaker for global conferences and corporate events.
Markus began his international career in Switzerland before joining Harley-Davidson, where he held several senior leadership positions, including Marketing Manager Switzerland, Retail Network Development Manager EMEA and Marketing Operations Director EMEA. He later became Global Marketing Director at Aston Martin Lagonda, leading the luxury marque’s global marketing strategy and customer engagement initiatives during a pivotal period in its history. Since 2013, Markus has served as Managing Partner of Brand Affairs AG, advising organisations worldwide on brand strategy, purpose, innovation, customer experience and marketing transformation across sectors including automotive, financial services, luxury and lifestyle. He also earned an MBA from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
Alongside his consulting career, Markus is an accomplished author and educator. He wrote the book ‘The Guiding Purpose Strategy’, exploring how organisations can build stronger businesses through purpose-led leadership and strategic brand management. He serves as an Honorary Senior Fellow of Brand Management at Bayes Business School, where he teaches MBA modules and executive education programmes on strategic brand management, positioning and modern marketing. He also lectures at leading institutions including Oxford Saïd Business School, Henley Business School and ZHAW Zurich.
Beyond academia, Markus serves as a Board Member of the BPN Foundation, supporting entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development across emerging markets. He also co-created the Responsible Investment Brand Index (RIBI™), an innovative framework measuring how asset managers translate sustainability commitments into credible brands. A regular speaker at prestigious events including Brand2Global, the Seminarium Marketing Conference, Richmond Finance Summit, Jumeirah Marketing Conference and Thought Leader Global, Markus inspires audiences with practical insights into building resilient brands, cultivating trust and creating sustainable competitive advantage.
Why Hire Markus Kramer?
Markus Kramer equips leaders with practical frameworks for building brands that thrive in an increasingly competitive and purpose-driven world. Drawing upon decades of executive leadership, international consulting and academic expertise, he combines strategic thinking with real-world case studies from some of the world’s most respected brands. His engaging presentations explore branding, innovation, leadership, trust, reputation, organisational culture and sustainable growth, giving audiences actionable insights they can immediately apply. Markus’s experience across luxury, automotive, financial services and education makes his keynotes valuable for businesses across every industry.
Markus Kramer’s Career Highlights:
Here are some of the key milestones that define Markus Kramer’s remarkable career:
- 2019 – Appointed Board Member of the BPN Foundation, supporting entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development across emerging markets.
- 2017 – Co-created the Responsible Investment Brand Index (RIBI™), evaluating sustainability commitment and brand credibility across the asset management industry.
- 2015 – Became Honorary Senior Fellow of Brand Management at Bayes Business School, teaching MBA and executive education programmes.
- 2013 – Founded Brand Affairs AG as Managing Partner, advising organisations worldwide on brand strategy, positioning and reputation.
- 2013 – Published ‘The Guiding Purpose Strategy’, exploring purpose-led branding and strategic leadership.
- 2010 – Appointed Global Marketing Director at Aston Martin Lagonda, leading global marketing strategy and customer-centric transformation.
- 2008 – Promoted to Marketing Operations Director EMEA at Harley-Davidson, overseeing integrated marketing and retail growth across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
- 2006 – Became Retail Network Development Manager EMEA at Harley-Davidson, driving dealer development and customer experience initiatives.
- 2003 – Joined Harley-Davidson as Marketing Manager Switzerland, establishing the company’s national marketing infrastructure and distribution strategy.
Videos
Markus Kramer’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“Markus is one of the most empathic person, I recently met. He is very knowledgeable in many brand topics, open minded, straight to the point and with a clear vision and direction. His ideas are pragmatic, very well thought through and he follows a client-centric approach. His curiosity in learning and reflecting outside perspectives rounds his picture well up. I can very much recommend working with Markus and Brand Affairs.” – Dr. Alexander, Consumer Behaviour, Kalaidos Fachhochschule
“In 2003, as CEO of Harley-Davidson Switzerland, the mission was to better serve dealers and final customers. The goal was to double the size of the business, the way to get there, a customer centric model to boost Brand & Consumer experience. I’ve designed a structure with marketing and dealer development in its centre and hired Markus as Marketing & Communication Manager than offered him the additional responsibility of Dealer Development.
Swiftly, Markus identified the key stakeholders and the key consumer needs to develop our business. With calm, determination and speed, Markus implemented strategies and tactics which enabled growth to happen. In a fluid, competitive and diverse environment, Markus demonstrated great agility, versatility and a strong capacity to mobilise resources to gain traction. Markus is very bright, extremely fast on his feet, a man of word and a gentleman.
Markus further supported the HD business growth and took on new challenges on an EMEA scope.
He than created his business with the same end in mind, how to best serve consumers and became an expert in powering Brands.
Today I can certainly recommend to any business leader willing to grow the value of his business, to partner with Brand Affairs. You will be amazed by the journey.” – Gerard, Chairman of Harley Davisdon Fribourg & Neuchatel
“Markus took time out of his day to meet me in London for 1hr talk about branding / marketing. Despite not knowing anything about me, he was open, cordial and forthright with my questions and postulations. A strategic thinker whose vision goes beyond business, he helped me ascertain much about what makes a brand “great”. I strongly recommend Markus and wish him continued success.” – Richard, Frontline Utilities LTD
“I had the privilege to have Mr. Markus Kramer as my professor while I was getting my Executive MBA degree. I participated in his ‘Global Marketing’ Class. He is genuinely, a noble marketer and an expert businessman. His creative and innovative mind allows him to look at all business subjects from different aspects. He also carries a huge amount of personal experiences which can be very informative and useful.
More than that, he is a well-mannered respectful man which everyone will definitely enjoy his companionship.
I will always be thankful for what I’ve learned from him.” – Aram, CEO at Behrah Baspar Mana
“Markus is an intelligent and professional marketing consultant who gave our marketing function clear direction through a period of change. He learnt our business quickly, identifying and prioritising our needs. He is very energetic and has an engaging style and became a popular member of the Executive Team. Furthermore he has helped build employee capability in the time that he was with us, happy to share his knowledge. All round, a great experience.” – Martin, People Director, Arcadis
“Markus was keynote speaker at Dialogkonferansen 2013, the largest conference on marketing/CRM in Scandinavia. I am overall responsible for the conference. Markus did a great job as a speaker, and the audience all went home to call their bank finding out how to finance an Aston Martin. On stage, Markus was everything the brand is, and the brand was Martin. He was extremly convincing, crystal clear, funny, relaxed, dynamic and got high scores both in presentation style and content. In addition to being a very knowledgeable speaker, Markus is a friendly, open and trustworthy person. If you are in need of an expert in the marketing and branding arena, he is your man.” – Arild, CEO of Bas Kommunikasjon
“Markus is an outstanding marketing leader and it was truly exciting to work with him at Harley-Davidson. His ability to take broad strategic initiatives and deliver and execute across multiple companies, geographies was clearly exceptional. Creative, passionate, and a very respected leader in the organisation that achieved outstanding results.” – Donald, President, Baltimore Aircoil Company
Speaking Topics
Markus Kramer’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Luxury Learning
- Brand Power
- Brand Purpose
- Cultural Edge
- Become Timeless
- Beautiful Business
- Presentation Skills for Executives
How Much Does Markus Kramer Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Markus Kramer?
Markus Kramer’s speaking fees typically reflect their exceptional career and international demand. Engagements vary depending on location, format, and duration; keynote appearances, conferences, and international events may command higher fees due to travel and preparation requirements.
