Jens Wiese

Jens co-founded Leitmotif in 2023 with Matt Trevithick. He brings over 20 years of transatlantic business and deal-making experience to the firm. Jens’ significant investing expertise ranges from later-stage venture capital to multi-billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions. He is a sought after board member with the proven ability to orchestrate complex international partnerships that drive strategic and financial value. Jens is based in Palo Alto, California and also drives substantial business in Europe for Leitmotif.

Previously, Jens served as Head of Corporate Development at Volkswagen Group, where he oversaw several major acquisitions that accelerated the automaker's transition to electric mobility. He was instrumental in developing Volkswagen's battery strategy, spearheading key investments and partnerships with Northvolt and QuantumScape (NYSE: QS). Additionally, Jens initiated and led the strategic partnership with Ford Motor Company, which focused on electric and light commercial vehicles, and has since become one of the largest industrial alliances in the automotive sector.

Earlier in his career, Jens held senior management consulting roles at AlixPartners and Roland Berger, where he specialized in M&A, restructuring, and performance improvement for clients in the automotive and industrial sectors.

Jens earned a master’s degree from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and completed an executive management program on disruptive innovation at Harvard Business School.