DACH Executive Moves · Management Board · Supervisory Board · C-Level
DACH Executive Moves
Current changes and new appointments at executive board, managing director and supervisory board level. Source-based, concisely assessed and focused on relevance for executive search, succession and governance.
As of 21 October 2026
Latest executive moves
Daniel von Borries to chair the KENFO executive board
Daniel von Borries will become chair of the KENFO executive board on 1 January 2027 and, as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, will be responsible for the foundation’s strategic direction and investments. He succeeds founding chair Anja Mikus, who retires on 31 December 2026. Von Borries was a member of the ERGO Insurance Group executive board from 2004 to 2016 and CFO of Swiss Life Germany from 2016 to mid-2026.
Assessment: This planned succession combines chairing a three-member executive board with direct responsibility for investments. Strategic leadership and investment management at the public-law fund are thus bundled in one role.
Dieter Weisskopf takes interim leadership of Lindt & Sprüngli
Group CEO Adalbert Lechner is leaving Lindt & Sprüngli. Dieter Weisskopf, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and former Group CEO, takes over as interim CEO with immediate effect; the search for a permanent successor is under way and is to be completed by the second quarter of 2027 at the latest. On 26 October, Ali Kulein is to become CEO Germany – subject to formal approval by the local supervisory board – and Fabian Reinhardt takes over the CEO role in Austria.
Assessment: The change affects the group’s top position and two central German-speaking markets at the same time. The interim solution secures leadership experience in the short term while the board searches for a permanent CEO; the country appointments create new responsibilities in Germany and Austria in parallel.
Michael Lewis reappointed CEO of Uniper
Uniper’s supervisory board has reappointed Michael Lewis early as member and chair of the management board for a further five years. The new term begins on 1 November 2026, replaces the previous appointment running until May 2028 and lasts until 31 October 2031.
Assessment: Lewis has led Uniper since 2023 and oversaw the company’s stabilisation after the energy crisis. The early reappointment creates long-term leadership continuity for the announced investments in security of supply, renewables, hydrogen and other low-carbon energy sources.
Burim Mirakaj becomes supervisory board chair of All for One Group
Following the completed change of ownership to VINCI Energies, the shareholder side of All for One Group’s supervisory board has been reconstituted. Burim Mirakaj takes the chair; Luc Penninckx, Klaudius Heda and Gerd Renner are new members. Josef Blazicek, Paul Neumann, Karl Astecker and Dr Rudolf Knünz have stepped down.
Assessment: The new composition reflects the change of ownership in the supervisory body as well. It is a concrete governance step in the planned integration of the IT and SAP services provider into VINCI Energies’ Axians network.
Thomas Rickert becomes supervisory board chair of maxx26 AG
Following his court appointment by the Cologne local court, Thomas Rickert was elected chair of the supervisory board of maxx26 AG. He succeeds Ronald Gerns, who stepped down at the end of 1 October 2026 after the sale of the subsidiary Binect GmbH.
Assessment: Rickert knows the board from his earlier membership from 2020 to 2025. His return comes in the phase after the sale of Binect and before the announced share buyback programme.
Rolands Seļakovs takes over the management board of TWM Defense AG
With the insolvency plan now legally binding, the former The Social Chain AG operates as TWM Defense AG and is to continue after the insolvency proceedings end. Previous board members Prof Dr Gerrit Hölzle and Dr Thorsten Bieg have left; the new board member is Rolands Seļakovs. The new supervisory board comprises Jens Weiland as chair, Renars Cupruns and Ruta Kretaine.
Assessment: The complete reconstitution of the management and supervisory boards is part of the restart under the insolvency plan. It combines the change of ownership with a new company name and fundamentally changed governance.
Marc-Alexander Mahl takes responsibility for Fresenius Kabi on the Fresenius board
The supervisory board has appointed Dr Marc-Alexander Mahl to the Fresenius management board effective 1 November 2026. He succeeds Pierluigi Antonelli and will be responsible for the Fresenius Kabi business. At the same time, CFO Sara Hennicken’s contract was extended by five years to 2032; Sébastien Guery takes overall responsibility for the Nutrition business at Fresenius Kabi.
Assessment: Mahl has known Fresenius for more than 20 years and most recently led Fresenius Kabi’s global MedTech business. His appointment represents an internal succession at a central operational interface of the group; the long-term extension of Hennicken’s contract also secures continuity in finance.
Joanna Holbrook becomes Chief Scientific Officer and board member of Evotec
Evotec has appointed Dr Joanna Holbrook as Chief Scientific Officer and member of the management board effective 1 November 2026. She takes over the company’s global scientific strategy and is to further develop drug discovery, technology platforms and proprietary innovation programmes.
Assessment: Holbrook brings more than 25 years of experience in pharma, biotechnology and research. Her remit combines scientific leadership with data and technology platforms and the commercialisation of new approaches in drug development.
Frank Hartmann becomes CFO and Co-CEO of pferdewetten.de
The supervisory board of pferdewetten.de AG has appointed Frank Hartmann to the management board effective 1 January 2027. As CFO and Co-CEO, he will be responsible for finance and management accounting, compliance, legal and investor relations, and will lead the company together with Christian Gruber.
Assessment: The appointment splits overall operational responsibility between two co-CEOs and bundles finance, legal and compliance in one board portfolio. For a listed company in the regulated betting market, this combination is particularly relevant.
Jean-Marc Bellaiche becomes CEO of the DOUGLAS Group
The supervisory board of DOUGLAS AG has appointed Jean-Marc Bellaiche as member and chair of the management board for four years effective 1 November 2026. He succeeds Alexander “Sander” van der Laan, who steps down on 31 October 2026 and retires from active management after 36 years in international retail.
Assessment: The external CEO appointment brings international experience in luxury, premium retail, omnichannel and transformation into the next development phase of the listed beauty group.
Christine Prauschke takes over HomeToGo Originals and Interhome
HomeToGo has appointed Dr Christine Prauschke as Chief Business Officer and member of the management board effective 1 January 2027. She takes full P&L and operational responsibility for HomeToGo Originals including Interhome, with more than 200 local service offices and 70,000 holiday homes in 28 countries; this also includes post-merger integration and further scaling of the buy-and-build model.
Assessment: The newly designed board role combines platform business, property management, AI-supported processes and integration responsibility.
Peter Schmid von Linstow takes over as CEO of Redcare Pharmacy
Following consultation of the extraordinary general meeting, the supervisory board appointed Peter Schmid von Linstow as member of the managing board and CEO of Redcare Pharmacy on 14 October 2026. He brings more than 20 years of international leadership experience in digital platforms and marketplaces, including Visable, Parship, eBay and AutoScout24.
Assessment: The change brings platform scaling, e-commerce and digital transformation together with the regulated European healthcare market.
Frank Fuchs takes over TIMETOACT GROUP as Group CEO
Cologne-based TIMETOACT GROUP is comprehensively reorganising its leadership as of 1 November 2026: former COO and CFO Frank Fuchs becomes Group CEO, Steve van Zundert takes over as Group CFO and Sascha Wadenpohl as Group COO. Founder Felix Binsack moves into the role of Founder & Vice Chairman of the Board after 28 years of operational leadership and remains strategically involved as a significant shareholder.
Assessment: The reorganisation, supported by H.I.G. Capital, combines founder succession, internal CEO succession and external CFO experience from PE-backed IT companies. With more than EUR 460 million in revenue and an agenda of integration, organic and inorganic growth and enterprise AI transformation, it is a particularly relevant signal for leadership architecture, portfolio governance and the next scaling phase of a technology services provider.
Bank Syz appoints Marc Brodard and Martin Freiermuth
Geneva-based Bank Syz has appointed Marc Brodard as Head of Private Clients and Martin Freiermuth as Chief Operating Officer. Brodard takes over leadership of the private client teams; Freiermuth joins the executive committee and is responsible for operations, technology and security, including the further development of infrastructure, cyber resilience and the bank’s AI strategy.
Assessment: The dual appointment combines growth leadership in private banking with operational and technological modernisation.
Goldbach reorganises CCO, COO and portfolio responsibilities
As part of merging its video marketing activities, Swiss company Goldbach is restructuring its executive management from November 2026: Alexander Duphorn becomes Chief Portfolio Officer, Carsten Kollmus Chief Commercial Officer and Thomas Spiegel Chief Operating Officer. Former CCO Raoul Gerber and Stefan Wagner, Managing Director Goldbach Audience, are leaving the company.
Assessment: The reorganisation bundles portfolio, commercial and operations responsibility along an integrated total video strategy. For the executive market, it is a relevant consumer and services signal for post-merger integration, new portfolio architecture and the combination of linear and digital media business.
Marc Heß becomes CFO and Managing Director of N26
N26 has appointed Marc Heß as Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of N26 SE and N26 Bank SE; he is to take office on 15 October 2026, subject to the usual regulatory approvals. Heß was previously CFO of Aareal Bank from 2018 to 2024 and before that held finance responsibility for many years at Deutsche Postbank and in Deutsche Bank’s private and business clients segment.
Assessment: According to the company, the appointment fills all positions on the digital bank’s management board. It combines retail banking, capital management and regulatory resilience with N26’s next phase of maturity and growth – a particularly relevant signal for finance leadership, governance and scaling in the regulated fintech environment.
Jesper Wiegandt takes over ZEISS Vision Care
ZEISS has appointed Jesper Wiegandt as CEO of ZEISS Vision Care effective 1 October 2026. He is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the business unit and remains acting Chief Commercial Officer; Wiegandt joined ZEISS Vision Care as CMO in 2022 and was appointed CCO in early 2026.
Assessment: The internal appointment combines CEO and, temporarily, commercial responsibility at a time when ZEISS Vision Care is developing its positioning as a consumer brand.
Daniele Tarantino takes over SodaStream DACH permanently
After around nine months as interim General Manager, SodaStream has permanently appointed Daniele Tarantino General Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He was previously CFO DACH at SodaStream and held several commercial and sales leadership roles at Nestlé; under his leadership, the transformation from sparkling water maker to holistic beverage brand is to be turned into sustainable growth.
Assessment: Making an internal interim solution permanent combines continuity with a clear growth and commercial agenda.
Morgane Trieu Cuot takes over the Trading division at Alpiq
Alpiq’s board of directors has appointed Morgane Trieu Cuot as head of the Trading business division and member of executive management effective 1 January 2027. She has led the division on an interim basis since February 2026 and, according to the company, has better connected the organisation, streamlined decision-making and deepened collaboration between Trading, Assets and Energy Solutions.
Assessment: The permanent appointment after an interim period of several months is a relevant signal for internal succession and proven performance in a transformation phase. In the volatile European energy market, the role combines trading expertise, risk management, organisational transformation and executive responsibility.
Christian Mäder takes over finance at Endress+Hauser
Christian Mäder took over responsibility for finance as the new CFO on the Executive Board of the Endress+Hauser Group on 1 October 2026. He succeeds Dr Luc Schultheiss, who continues to lead quality and sustainability until the end of January 2027; Mäder was previously CFO of the Komax Group, CFO of the Artemis Group and CEO of Artemis Asset Management Group.
Assessment: The CFO succession completes a comprehensive renewal of the top management of the Swiss family company. It combines an orderly handover with experience from listed industrial companies, family businesses and investment management – a relevant signal for succession, governance and financial leadership in the industrial mid-market.
Anders Martens takes over operational leadership of Verity as CEO
Zurich-based warehouse intelligence company Verity has appointed Anders Martens as Chief Executive Officer effective 1 October 2026. He takes over operational leadership from co-founder Raffaello D’Andrea, who remains chair of the board of directors; Martens previously led Link Logistics for twelve years and brings more than two decades of experience in logistics.
Assessment: The transition from founder to an external scaling CEO marks the shift from technological pioneering to international market penetration.
Shervin J. Korangy succeeds Helen Giza as CEO
The supervisory board of Fresenius Medical Care has unanimously appointed Shervin J. Korangy as Chief Executive Officer and chair of the management board effective 12 October 2026. He succeeds Helen Giza, who leaves the company at the end of 11 October; Korangy stepped down from his supervisory board seat in connection with the appointment. He previously led BVI Medical and worked at Novartis and Blackstone, among others.
Assessment: The change marks the transition from a completed transformation and efficiency phase to a new growth agenda. The combination of medical technology, private equity, capital allocation and operational transformation makes the appointment a particularly relevant signal for CEO succession, board-to-executive transitions and the leadership architecture of global healthcare companies.
Stefan Waldner becomes CFO of VERBUND
The supervisory board of VERBUND AG has appointed Stefan Waldner as CFO. Currently Senior Vice President in OMV’s finance function, he brings more than 20 years of experience in energy, financing, capital markets and M&A; he was previously CFO of OMV Petrol Ofisi and CFO and board member of OMV Petrom. Waldner succeeds Peter Kollmann, who stepped down on 31 August 2026; until Waldner takes office, CEO Michael Strugl leads the finance portfolio on an interim basis.
Assessment: The appointment combines sector-specific CFO experience, capital markets expertise and an internal succession from the ÖBAG investment portfolio.
Christian Diekmann moves from supervisory board chair to the management board
Dr Henning von Kottwitz leaves the management board of Blue Cap AG at the end of 8 October 2026. The supervisory board is delegating its previous chair, Dr Christian Diekmann, to the management board effective 9 October 2026 under Section 105(2) of the German Stock Corporation Act; there he is responsible in particular for strategy and finance. COO Henning Eschweiler remains a board member and additionally takes responsibility for M&A.
Assessment: The immediate move from supervisory board chair to operational leadership is a striking governance and transformation signal. For a listed mid-market holding company with a buy-transform-sell strategy, it creates concrete starting points for board architecture, succession, leadership assessment and the management of special-situations portfolios.
Richard Albrecht takes over Banque Richelieu Switzerland
Richard Albrecht has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Banque Richelieu Switzerland. He is to lead the next growth phase, develop the business in Zurich and at the same time establish the bank in Geneva. Albrecht has almost three decades of experience in banking and wealth management and was most recently Head of Wealth Management at REYL Intesa Sanpaolo.
Assessment: The CEO appointment combines market expansion, team building and the integration of two Swiss financial centres.
Alexander Dahm takes over Rocket Factory Augsburg as CEO
The supervisory board of Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has appointed Alexander Dahm as the new chair of the management. He succeeds Prof Dr Indulis Kalnins and is responsible for the company’s further development and the path to the maiden flight of the RFA ONE launch vehicle. Dahm was most recently COO of HENSOLDT Sensors and a member of the Group Executive Committee.
Assessment: The change is relevant for the European aerospace and defence landscape: RFA combines technology development, industrialisation and scaling in a strategically sensitive growth field.
Stefan Caspari takes global leadership of Fendt and Valtra
AGCO is consolidating parts of its executive leadership team. Stefan Caspari takes over global responsibility for Fendt, Valtra and product management with immediate effect as Senior Vice President and General Manager and continues to lead the North American agricultural machinery business. Torsten Dehner relinquishes his previous role and supports the transition from Switzerland.
Assessment: Bundling brand, product and regional responsibility is a relevant industrial signal. It shows how global manufacturers are streamlining leadership structures and consolidating P&L responsibility.
Jörg Hessenmüller takes over Standard Chartered’s Frankfurt EU hub
Jörg Hessenmüller took on the role of Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank AG in Frankfurt on 1 October 2026. The entity is the bank’s hub for continental Europe and serves clients in the European Economic Area. Hessenmüller was previously the entity’s COO and was additionally responsible for technology and operations in Europe.
Assessment: The appointment is particularly relevant in the financial services market because it combines international bank management, regulation and operational transformation in a Frankfurt board role.
Christian Wiermann becomes Chief Risk Officer – Verena Dierks designated for finance
Dr Christian Wiermann took over the risk portfolio at Deutsche Apotheker- und Ärztebank on 1 October 2026. Verena Dierks is to become the new CFO after the required regulatory approvals; until then she leads finance, bank-wide performance management and group services as general manager with full power of attorney.
Assessment: The reorganisation affects two central control and management responsibilities of a regulated bank. For the executive market, the combination of internal succession, regulatory approval and new finance responsibility is a relevant appointment and governance signal.
OLB appoints new CFO, CRO and CIO
OLB’s management board was reconstituted on 1 October 2026. Michael Fust is the new Chief Financial Officer, Annett Daldrup takes over the risk portfolio as Chief Risk Officer and Chris Eggert moves into the role of Chief Investment Officer.
Assessment: Three central board portfolios are being reorganised at the same time. This makes the change more relevant for questions of leadership architecture, regulatory governance and strategic bank management.
Thomas Groß announces retirement – Helaba starts CEO succession
Thomas Groß will retire at his own request as CEO of Helaba when his contract expires in October 2027. The board of Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen initiated the succession process on 2 October 2026. Groß looks back on more than 20 years of board-level work, 15 of them at Helaba.
Assessment: The unusually long lead time gives the board the opportunity to structure the CEO succession with internal and external benchmarking, leadership assessment and robust handover planning. For banks, this is a relevant governance signal because strategic continuity and personnel renewal can be brought together early.
Erika Rasch takes over HR on the group board
Erika Rasch was appointed to the Volkswagen AG group board of management on 1 October 2026, where she is responsible for human resources. At the same time, she takes on the role of labour director. She succeeds Thomas Schäfer, who had held the role on an interim basis since July 2025.
Assessment: The appointment is particularly relevant for the group’s ongoing transformation because HR strategy, competitiveness and co-determination are bundled directly at board level.
Marco Schubert takes responsibility for North America
Since 1 October 2026, Marco Schubert has been a member of the Volkswagen Group’s extended executive committee and leads the North America region across the group. He reports directly to CEO Oliver Blume and succeeds Kjell Gruner.
Assessment: The change bundles regional management and sales responsibility at group level in a strategically important growth market.
Martin Sander moves to the Audi board
Martin Sander succeeds Marco Schubert and has been responsible for sales and marketing at Audi since 1 October 2026. He also becomes a member of the Volkswagen Group’s extended executive committee.
Assessment: The change moves experienced sales leadership from the core Volkswagen brand into Audi’s premium segment.
Martin Jahn succeeds Martin Sander
Since 1 October 2026, Martin Jahn has been responsible for sales, marketing and after sales on the board of the Volkswagen brand.
Assessment: The appointment is part of a broader reorganisation of central sales and market responsibilities within the group.
Martina Biene takes over sales and marketing at Škoda
Since 1 October 2026, Martina Biene has been board member for sales and marketing at Škoda Auto. She succeeds Martin Jahn, who has moved to the board of the Volkswagen brand.
Assessment: The appointment is part of the group-wide reorganisation of central sales functions and combines operational market experience with a board role at one of the group’s high-volume brands.
Christiane Zorn takes over Volkswagen Group Africa
Dr Christiane Zorn has been Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa since 1 October 2026.
Assessment: The change combines international sales and market management with overall regional responsibility at managing director level.
Marianne Heiß returns to the Volkswagen supervisory board
Marianne Heiß was appointed by the court to the supervisory board of Volkswagen AG effective 3 September 2026 until the next annual general meeting. She was also elected chair of the audit committee.
Assessment: Her return strengthens finance, accounting and governance expertise on the shareholder side and is particularly relevant because of her chairing the audit committee.
What is included
- Management board, CEO, CFO, CHRO and other relevant C-level functions
- Changes in management with strategic relevance
- Supervisory board and advisory board changes
- Succession, carve-outs, PE-driven leadership changes and transformation roles
The overview is updated on an ongoing basis. It is based on company announcements, mandatory disclosures and other reliable primary sources.