Trumpf expands managerial board with two new appointments
April 24, 2017
Trumpf, Ditzingen, Germany, has announced plans to expand its Group Management effective July 1, 2017, with the appointment of Heinz-Jürgen Prokop and Christian Schmitz. Both appointees have been active in the company for many years.
This announcement marks a change for Trumpf, which has previously been run by a board made up primarily of the Trumpf family. With the new appointments, the family company will now be managed by three family members and three external managers.
Prokop, who was made Chairman of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) in 2016, will assume responsibility for Trumpf’s Machine Tools division, which until now has been headed by Mathias Kammüller.
Schmitz will head the Laser Technology/Electronics division, taking over from current head Peter Leibinger on June 30, 2017.
Leibinger and Kammüller will move from operational responsibility for their divisions to responsibility for the company’s growth areas, Trumpf stated. In his new role, Leibinger will drive the consistent development of new technologies, such as Additive Manufacturing and Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography. Kammüller, who is also Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), will be appointed Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of the company.
Lars Grünert remains responsible for the company’s finances as Chief Financial Officer. In addition to her role as Chairwoman of the Managing Board, Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller will be appointed Labour Director.
According to Leibinger-Kammüller, Trumpf’s expansion of the Managing Board signals a clear commitment toward providing the company with additional creative space for future issues, enabling it to continue playing a key role in the digital transformation of mechanical engineering: “Our primary focus so far has been on products and services. With the new organisational structure we are taking things a step further and reinforcing our digital interaction with our customers. That is the key message to the market.”
