Personal details
Yaskawa restructures top management in Europe
Yaskawa, a Japanese manufacturer in the fields of automation and drive technology, made new appointments to the management of its European headquarters at the beginning of the financial year.
Pär Tornemo becomes President & CEO
Pär Tornemo has been appointed President & CEO of Yaskawa Europe GmbH with effect from March 1, 2026. He succeeds Marcus Mead, who has retired. Tornemo has held various management positions at Yaskawa since 2007, including Managing Director of Yaskawa Nordic AB and most recently Senior Vice President of the European Robotics Business Unit.
Commenting on his new role, Tornemo said: "Yaskawa is entering a new era characterized by digitalization, AI-powered automation and sustainable business practices - factors that will be critical to our success. Together with our team, we want to further strengthen the link between our company's global expertise and the needs of our European customers."
Sibel Yanak takes over the position of Chief Financial Officer
Sibel Yanak, who joined Yaskawa Europe as Senior Vice President Finance in February 2025, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. She has more than 16 years of experience in auditing and management consulting, mainly with Big Four companies. In her new role, she will unify the finance organization in the EMEA region, strengthen governance and compliance, and further develop sustainability reporting across the region.
Bobbie Linkenbach will continue to lead the Drives & Motion Controls division as Senior Vice President. His responsibilities will not change.
Jörg Rommelfanger heads robotics business in the DACH region
Since August 2025, Jörg Rommelfanger has been responsible for Yaskawa's robotics activities in the DACH region as President and thus for business activities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He previously held management positions at ABB.
Rommelfanger on the focus of his work: "The DACH region remains a leading growth market for robotics, characterized by a shortage of skilled workers, smart factories and increasing demand for flexible automation. Yaskawa wants to take advantage of these opportunities, strengthen its customer presence, position its core portfolio more clearly and expand partnerships. In addition to welding, we want to grow in the logistics, food and beverage and pharmaceutical sectors and are driving forward AI-supported robotics with Motoman Next."
You might also be interested in
Start to the year without a recovery signal
Aluminum industry under further pressure in 2026
The German aluminum industry starts 2026 without a recovery signal: production, recycling and semi-finished products remain under pressure. Which segments are particularly affected and why the industry does not expect a quick turnaround.
read more...German Business Hopes for a Easing of Tensions
The German economy is showing signs of a cautious recovery. The ifo Business Climate Index rose to 85.6 points in June 2026. Companies are assessing the current situation and their expectations somewhat more positively, but remain largely cautious.
read more...HIMA Is Growing Despite Challenging Markets
The HIMA Group will increase its revenue to 190.5 million euros in 2025. International business, digitalization, and partnerships are driving this growth.
read more...Machine Tool Manufacturing Offers Hope
New orders are rising significantly again for the first time
New orders in the machine tool industry are rising significantly again for the first time. However, production, exports, and employment continue to decline.
read more...Thousands of Jobs Under Scrutiny
Evonik's Mass Layoffs: A Warning Sign for the Chemical Industry?
Evonik is restructuring the group and downsizing: The Essen-based specialty chemicals company is cutting thousands of jobs. But there is more to these job cuts than just a cost-cutting program.
read more...Accelerate the Expansion of Electric Mobility
Rittal and EcoG Expand Partnership for Charging Infrastructure
Rittal and EcoG are expanding their collaboration. The focus is on modular charging infrastructure for electric truck depots and integration into energy systems.
read more...International Federation of Robotics
U.S. Robotics Industry Sees Double-Digit Growth
In the U.S., sales of industrial robots rose by 11% compared to the previous year: 38,000 units were newly installed in 2025. This significant recovery is driven by robust growth in the food industry and other non-manufacturing sectors. However, the...
read more...Increased revenue and expanded production capacity
The Fraba Group, a manufacturer of sensors for industrial motion control, looks back on a successful 2025, a year in which both revenue and the number of employees increased.
read more...Integration Meets Reality
OT meets IT – the two worlds are meant to converge, data is meant to flow, and production is meant to become smart. Yet the reality in industry often remains stubbornly contradictory: while systems have long been technically interconnected, they...
read more...