- Concentration of strategy development in hands of executive board chairman
- Martin Schwarz appointed as executive board member, manufacturing and materials
- Further development of executive board organization as of 1 January 2020
- Adapting to growth and transformation requirements
At its meeting on 17 December the supervisory board of STIHL AG appointed Martin Schwarz (44) executive board member manufacturing and materials as of 1 January 2020. Martin Schwarz joined the STIHL Group in 2012 as head of the technology, special machinery, central and factory planning division. He reports directly to the executive board chairman, Dr. Bertram Kandziora, who will in future take over development and implementation of company strategy in addition to his overall responsibility for business development. The executive board chairman‘s responsibilities therefore encompass development of strategy and company, strategic projects, digitalization, corporate communications, group quality management and internal auditing.
Executive board chairman Dr. Kandziora joined the STIHL Group in 2002 as the executive board member responsible for manufacturing and materials. He was appointed as board spokesman in 2003 and has been executive board chairman since 2005. Since his joining, the family-owned company has experienced strong growth. Revenue increased from €1.5 billion to €3.8 billion, the worldwide workforce grew by 10,000 to more than 17,000 today, and the number of STIHL subsidiaries throughout the world has almost doubled.
The changing market environment, customer behavior and distribution channels create both opportunities and strategic challenges. STIHL's key market is in a state of transition. A considerable share of the hitherto dominant gasoline powered products is being complemented and in some cases supplanted by battery powered products. Accompanying this is a significant increase in the number of competitors and new distribution channels, including eCommerce. The STIHL advisory and supervisory board chairman, Dr. Nikolas Stihl, said: "With the new executive board organization we have optimized the individual areas of responsibility. The executive board chairman can now focus on strategic issues and further boost company development. In this way we are taking account of growth in the STIHL Group and the increasing need for transformation."
From 1 January 2020 the enlarged executive board of STIHL AG thus comprises the executive board chairman Dr. Bertram Kandziora as well as Karl Angler (Finance and Information Systems), Anke Kleinschmit (Research and Development), Norbert Pick (Marketing and Sales), Dr. Michael Prochaska (Human Resources and Legal Affairs) and Martin Schwarz (Manufacturing and Materials). "We greatly appreciate the work of our executive board members and are pleased that we have been able to fill the manufacturing and materials post with an outstanding and well-prepared executive from within the company", said Dr. Nikolas Stihl.