27 Facts About Johan Eliasch

Johan Eliasch was born on February 1962 and is a Swedish-British businessman, investor, and environmentalist.

Johan Eliasch was the chief executive of Head, a sporting goods company, from 1995 to 2021, and is its chairman.

Under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Eliasch served as the Prime Minister's special representative for deforestation and clean energy.

Johan Eliasch was born in February 1962, in Djursholm, Sweden.

Johan Eliasch's grandfather, G A Svensson, was a leading Swedish industrialist.

Johan Eliasch graduated in Stockholm with a Master of Science from the Royal Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Stockholm University.

Johan Eliasch began his career in turning around companies in 1985, when he joined the London-based private equity firm Tufton Group.

In 1995, Johan Eliasch took over Head Tyrolia Mares, the sporting goods company now known as Head; he was the Chief Executive Officer of Head from 1995 to 2021.

In June 2021, Johan Eliasch was elected as president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation at the 52nd International Ski Congress, succeeding Gian-Franco Kasper, who had run the organisation for 23 years.

Johan Eliasch stepped down as CEO of Head after his election.

At the 53rd International Ski Congress in May 2022, Johan Eliasch ran unopposed and was re-elected as FIS president through 2026 winning 70 out of 100 votes.

Johan Eliasch is chairman of Equity Partners, and has been on the board of directors of Aman Resorts and Longleat.

Johan Eliasch was chairman of Starr Managing Agents, Investcorp Europe and the Aman Resorts Group.

Johan Eliasch was a director of London Films Productions Limited from August 2016 to January 2017.

Johan Eliasch received just two votes at the 144th IOC Session in March 2025, with Kirsty Coventry winning the election.

In 2005, Johan Eliasch created the Rainforest Trust and purchased for preservation purposes a 400,000-acre rainforest area in the heart of the Amazon rainforest near the Madeira River.

Under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Johan Eliasch served as the Prime Minister's special representative for deforestation and clean energy.

The Johan Eliasch Review has served as a guideline for REDD as part of the international climate change convention.

In June 2008, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources began an investigation into a company acquired by Johan Eliasch for alleged illegal deforestation prior to his ownership.

Johan Eliasch is currently a director of the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment, a non-profit, international organisation, an advisory board member for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Polar Regions, and Brasilinvest.

Johan Eliasch is an advisory board member of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative and previously served on the International Advisory Board of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

Johan Eliasch was appointed as a non-political special representative of Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown on deforestation and clean energy.

Johan Eliasch was a member of the Austrian president's delegation of State for Trade and Industry.

Johan Eliasch met Prince Andrew, Duke of York in the 1990s and organised a charity tennis match at Buckingham Palace between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.

Johan Eliasch was a director along with the Duke of a company called Naples Gold.

In 2006, Johan Eliasch co-founded the Global Strategy Forum with the late Rt Hon Michael Ancram, the Marquess of Lothian, and became the foundation's first president.

Johan Eliasch was married to Amanda Eliasch, a photographer and filmmaker, from 1988 to 2006; they have two sons.