Martin Zielke
Martin Zielke | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 17, 1963 Hofgeismar, Hesse, Germany |
| Occupation | Banking executive |
| Years active | 1983–2020 |
| Known for | CEO of Commerzbank (2016–2020) |
Martin Zielke (born 17 January 1963 in Hofgeismar, Hesse, Germany) is a German banking executive who held the positions of chief executive officer and chairman of the board of managing directors at Commerzbank from 2016 until 2020.
Early life and education
Zielke completed his banking apprenticeship between 1983 and 1985, followed by studies in business administration at the Georg August University from 1985 to 1990.
Career
He launched his professional journey in private banking and asset management with Dresdner Bank and Deutsche Bank. In 2002, Zielke joined Commerzbank as a divisional board member, taking on leadership responsibilities in retail and corporate banking sectors. Between 2006 and 2008, he served as chief financial officer and board member at Eurohypo, which had recently been acquired by Commerzbank. At the beginning of 2008, he assumed the role of head of group finance at Commerzbank. By 2010, Zielke was appointed to the board of managing directors, where he was responsible for the private customers division.
On May 1, 2016, Zielke succeeded Martin Blessing as CEO of Commerzbank. His leadership prioritized reinforcing core business areas and promoting digital transformation. Although his contract extended until November 2023, he stepped down in July 2020 due to conflicts with Cerberus Capital Management, the bank's second-largest shareholder.
Other activities
- Board Member, Association of German Banks
- Board Member, Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG) (since 2016)
- Board Member, Institute of International Finance (IIF)
- Advisory Board Member, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Göttingen (since 2019)
- Member of the Board of Trustees, Working Group of Protestant Businesses (AEU)