Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer becomes new Chairman of the Management Board

In him, the technology leader in fans and motors has gained a leader with experience of the Group and transformation for the successful and future-oriented further development of the family business and the transition to the next management generation.

After managing the company on an interim basis, Thomas Wagner (62) will once again assume the position of deputy, as planned in advance. He will support Dr. Geißdörfer with his induction and actively support the ongoing strategy and transformation process in his role as COO.

Geißdörfer can look back on many years of international experience in the top management of major companies. Most recently, he was Managing Director at One Logic, a leading company for data science and artificial intelligence. From 2016 to 2020, he was responsible for the global industrial division of the technology group ZF Friedrichshafen AG in Passau as Head of the Industrial Technology Division. Prior to this, Geißdörfer held various management positions at automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler for over 13 years, including as a member of the Industrial Management Board and as Chairman of the Industrial Applications division.

With Geißdörfer, the company is initiating a generational change at the top of the company and would like to use his expertise to drive forward the digitalization and globalization process. Dr. Luger Laufenberg, Chairman of the Advisory Board: "With Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer, we are gaining an experienced leader with a strong focus on technology for the Group. He is an expert in the field of digitalization and globalization, both of which are future-relevant tasks at ebm-Papst, who will lead the company sustainably and into a continued successful future. The shareholders, the Advisory Board and the Group Management Board wish Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer every success in his future-oriented tasks. Thomas Wagner has been an important pillar in the Group's top management for 37 years. We are extremely grateful to him for managing the company on an interim basis as planned and in parallel to the selection process and for continuing to be available to ebm-Papst as COO and deputy."

Thomas Wagner, future deputy and COO: "For reasons of my age alone, I was very happy to support the plan to take on the role of CEO on an interim basis until a successor could be found for the coming years. This gave me all the necessary room for maneuver for a strong management of the company. I am looking forward to working with Dr. Geißdörfer, a highly experienced leader in our future fields."

Klaus Geißdörfer, designated Chairman of the Board of Directors: "ebm-Papst is a value-based and human company. As a technology leader, it has an excellent reputation worldwide. With ebm-Papst neo as a digitalization start-up and with its internationalization strategy "local for local", ebm-Papst is in the midst of a transformation process. I am looking forward to my exciting task of actively leading the ebm-Papst Group into the future as CEO together with the Advisory Board, management and all employees and tackling the challenges ahead."