- Ralf W. Dieter hands over his role of CEO at the end of 2021 as part of a planned succession
- Dr. Jochen Weyrauch takes over at the beginning of 2022
- Supervisory Board Chairman Gerhard Federer: “well prepared transition”
- Heinz Dürr: “Ralf Dieter was exactly the right man for the company. Dr. Weyrauch represents continuity in the company’s further development”
In agreement with the Supervisory Board, Ralf W. Dieter will terminate his contract ahead of the scheduled end date of mid-2023. “I have come to the decision that it is the right time for a change. Having emerged from the coronavirus crisis robustly, the Group is heading for a record order intake and is at the beginning of a new phase of profitable growth. When it comes to key issues such as digitalization, sustainability, and electromobility, Dürr is very well positioned,” said Dieter.
Dieter will stay connected to the Dürr Group in an advisory capacity, especially for issues of digitalization and artificial intelligence. In addition, he will pursue his own new entrepreneurial projects.
Dieter will also hand over his role of CEO of HOMAG Group AG at the end of the year. There, his colleague on the Board of Management, Dr. Daniel Schmitt (51), will take the helm of the company at the beginning of 2022.
Gerhard Federer, Supervisory Board Chairman of Dürr AG, stated: “The Supervisory Board is saddened by Mr. Dieter’s decision, but we respect his choice. We extend our thanks and appreciation to him for the work he has done over the last 16 years. Mr. Dieter has developed Dürr in an impressive way. During his term of office, the volume of business has tripled to around €4 billion. Having taken over as CEO of Dürr in a difficult situation, Mr. Dieter has since stabilized the company and, using a clear strategy, has turned it into one of the world’s most powerful mechanical and plant engineering firms. He is handing over a company that is financially robust with exceptionally good development prospects.”
Ralf W. Dieter joined the Dürr Group in 2003 and began by restructuring its measuring technology subsidiary Carl Schenck. He joined the Dürr AG Board of Management in 2005 and became its Chairman in 2006. He started his term of office concentrating on modernizing structures, business processes and the IT environment through the FOCUS optimization program. Another task was the reduction of large debts. During the global economic crisis of 2008/2009, Dieter expanded Dürr’s position, particularly in China and other growth markets. This benefited the Group in the years to come through a strong growth in sales. 2014 saw the acquisition of the HOMAG Group, followed by further acquisitions in the fields of software, environmental technology, and automation. Over the past few years, Dieter has been focusing on digitalization. In addition to his role at the Dürr AG Board of Management, he has also been CEO of HOMAG and Chairman of the Advisory Board for ADAMOS, the IoT joint venture established in 2017.
Heinz Dürr, anchor shareholder and Honorary Chairman of the Dürr AG Supervisory Board, said: “Mr. Dieter was exactly the right man for the company: He has led Dürr with confidence, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit, and has had the support of both managers and employees because he exudes credibility and optimism and is very approachable. He has given Dürr important impetus and paved the way for Dürr to be optimistic about the future. Dr. Weyrauch, meanwhile, is an experienced successor who knows the business and represents continuity in the Group’s further development.”
Dr. Jochen Weyrauch began his management career with the automotive supplier Continental Teves and later became CEO of Turbo-Lufttechnik GmbH, part of the plant engineering firm Babcock-Borsig. His initial stint at the Dürr Group was between 2003 and 2005; as a member of Carl Schenck AG’s Board of Management, he was responsible, together with Ralf W. Dieter, for restructuring the Schenck Group. Following the sale of its subsidiary Schenck Process, Dr. Weyrauch left the Dürr Group in 2006. After more than ten successful years at the helm of Schenck Process, Dr. Weyrauch, who holds a PhD in industrial engineering, worked as a consultant and partner in private equity before returning to Dürr in 2017 to join its Board of Management. Aside from the automotive and environmental technology business, he is also responsible for the automation technology specialist Teamtechnik, in which the Dürr Group acquired a majority stake in February, as well as for the Sustainability, Corporate Development, and Global Sourcing functions.
“The Supervisory Board realized some time ago that Dr. Weyrauch is the ideal internal successor. This makes for a well prepared, smooth transition at Dürr,” stated Supervisory Board Chairman Gerhard Federer. “Dr. Weyrauch is an experienced manager, who has excellent knowledge of the automotive and plant engineering business. He has demonstrated his skills at Dürr and has a good relationship with both managers and staff. He sees himself as an entrepreneur who wants to take an active approach in further developing Dürr and addressing market trends such as sustainability and digitalization. Thanks to his private-equity background, he has extensive experience in the capital and investment sector, which also benefits Dürr AG in terms of its stock exchange listing.”
Dr. Jochen Weyrauch stated: “Dürr is one of the first ports of call for international mechanical and plant engineering. I will do my utmost to expand this position further in the digital era. Business involving sustainable production technologies offers special opportunities. We will continue to invest in innovations that enable our customers to become more energy-efficient and that accelerate decarbonization. I feel that our workforce has an enormous amount of team spirit: Our employees and managers want to achieve something and continue to work on Dürr’s success story. It is an honor to lead a company like this into the future.”
Dr. Jochen Weyrauch will take over as CEO of Dürr AG on January 1, 2022. He signed a new service contract with a five-year term, scheduled to run until the end of 2026. Following Mr. Dieter’s departure, the Dürr AG Board of Management will consist of two members until further notice. Alongside Dr. Weyrauch as the new CEO, Dietmar Heinrich (57) will continue to work as CFO.
