As the industrys iconic manufacturer of digital and analog cameras, Leica is investing in the innovative spirit which has seen it thrive over the past 100 years. The CEO Magazine recently spoke to Alfred Schopf, CEO of Leica Camera, about what he views as the future of this remarkable company.
The CEO Magazine: As one of the longest running companies in its global field, what do you think is the secret to Leica Cameras longevity and success?
Alfred: Leica was actually the inventor of the first successful small camera with full-format, making reportage photography available 100 years ago, and it took a further 10 years until the camera was manufactured. Leica was the recording device of choice for photographers across the world for a lot of important moments in time that were captured as images.
A lot of these images are part of the worlds heritage for the past 100 years. For example, one of the most distributed images in the world, the portrait shot of Che Guevara, is a Leica photo. The Vietnamese girl escaping from the napalm bombardment in the Vietnam War is a Leica photo. The dying soldier in the Spanish Civil War is a Leica photo. A lot of these remarkable images are embedded in the global mindset and theyre all thanks to Leicas photographic technology.