Klaus Kleinfeld has been the global CEO of two Fortune 500 companies – Siemens and Alcoa. In this episode, we have the pleasure of discussing his book 'Leading to Thrive', where Klaus shares his lessons from heading big organizations, but also on how to live a good life.

Our conversation with Klaus Kleinfeld was recorded on 24 July 2025.

For more info about the podcast, go to the episode page and make sure to follow us on X/Twitter.

We love to hear your thoughts, so please rate and review us. And feel free to tell us about great authors, books, and investors. Thank you. /Eddie with team

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Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro to Klaus Kleinfeld

(01:06) Welcoming Klaus

(01:32) Growing up in Germany

(03:50) First job and the perception of money

(08:47) How “Leading to Thrive” came about

(11:26) Part 1: Mastering the inner game

(17:46) Managing energy as a leader

(22:30) The misconception of work-life balance

(25:10) Part 2: Mastering the outer game

(27:21) How Klaus became CEO of two Fortune 500 companies

(31:17) The dynamics of Boards

(38:23) The role of a leader

(41:03) Advice for analysts & investors when speaking to management

(43:18) Klaus’ current engagements

(47:19) Future ambitions

(48:58) Book recommendations

(51:30) Concluding remarks

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Books Mentioned

Leading to Thrive – Klaus Kleinfeld
Winning – Jack Welch
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni

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Companies Mentioned

Alcoa
Siemens
Omni-Biotic

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More on Klaus Kleinfeld

Website: https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klauskleinfeld/

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About the Podcast

Intro episode: https://www.redeye.se/podcast/investing-by-the-books/817383/0-intro-to-investing-by-the-books

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What is Investing by the Books?

Investing by the Books was founded by Henrik Andersson, Bo Börtemark, Mats Larsson and Michael Persson. It has published hundreds of book reviews in the past 10 years and operates on a non-profit basis.

Visit the website: http://www.investingbythebooks.com/

Follow on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Investbythebook

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What is Redeye?

Redeye is a research-centered boutique investment bank from Stockholm. Founded in 1999, Redeye cultivates investors through timeless knowledge, a humble attitude, and a strong focus on quality.

Visit the website: https://www.redeye.se/

Follow on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Redeye_

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Disclaimer

Notice that the content in this podcast is not, and shall not be construed as investment advice. This information is meant to be informative and for general purposes only. For full disclaimer, visit Redeye.se

#73 Klaus Kleinfeld: Leading to Thrive

Investing by the Books