Former Germany captain and Bundesliga legend Oliver Kahn brought lessons from an extraordinary career in elite sport and business leadership to EXPSummit 2026 in Douala on Thursday, September 3.

Oliver Kahn was the headline speaker at EXPSummit 2026, sharing experiences from a career that took him from the highest levels of professional football to the executive boardroom.

The summit brought together business leaders, executives and experts to discuss innovation, leadership and performance under the theme “Shaping the future through relevant innovations.” Discussions focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, evolving regulations and geopolitical changes, with an emphasis on identifying innovations that respond to real market needs and create sustainable value.

EXPSummit was organised around three forums: the Leadership Forum, focused on executive challenges, team cohesion and organisational growth; the Experts Forum, centred on cross-sector innovation and solutions transforming economic models; and the Emerging Experts Forum, which explored the next generation of talent and emerging expertise.

The event also marked the launch of Experience Season 2026–2027, providing a platform for leaders and experts to exchange experiences and explore practical solutions for sustainable growth.

Kahn’s journey from sporting icon to business executive fitted naturally into those discussions. As Bayern Munich’s chief executive from 2020 to 2023, he led an organisation of more than 1,000 employees and, according to his EXPSummit profile, oversaw a record turnover of €845.2 million. His work earned him the 2022 Innovator of the Year honorary award from Die Deutsche Wirtschaft.

Long before entering the boardroom, Kahn established himself as one of Germany and the Bundesliga’s greatest goalkeepers. He made 557 Bundesliga appearances, keeping 204 clean sheets, and played 632 matches for Bayern in all competitions.

His trophy cabinet included eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals, the 1995/96 UEFA Cup and the 2001 Champions League. With Germany, Kahn won 86 caps, including 49 as captain, and reached the 2002 World Cup final. Despite Germany’s defeat to Brazil, he won the tournament’s Golden Ball, becoming the first goalkeeper to receive the award. Kahn was also named IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper three times, in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

Known as “Der Titan,” Kahn’s influence extended beyond his statistics. His commanding presence, reflexes and leadership helped set a standard for the generation that followed, particularly fellow German and Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Neuer succeeded Kahn as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper and reinvented the position with his revolutionary ability outside the penalty area. He subsequently won 13 Bundesliga titles, two Champions League trophies and the 2014 World Cup.

His appearance in Douala therefore connected two sides of his legacy: the goalkeeper who helped redefine elite performance and the executive who later applied those principles to leadership, innovation and organisational growth.