Martin Lehner, chairman of the executive board, CEO, and CTO of Wacker Neuson SE, will step down at the end of the year. The company said the move was “fully amicable and by mutual consent.” He will serve in an advisory capacity until March 2021.
In addition, CFO Wilfried Trepels will step down on November 30, citing “differences in opinion over the corporate management,” according to Wacker Neuson.
Kurt Helletzgruber, chairman of the audit committee, will take on the executive responsibilities of the position of CFO on an interim basis on December 1. On January 1, he will temporarily assume the executive responsibilities of the position of CEO and take on the position of chairman. Matthias Schüppen will take over as chairman of the audit committee.
“The Supervisory Board of Wacker Neuson SE regrets Mr. Lehner’s decision and thanks him for his unwavering personal commitment,” said Hans Neunteufel, chairman of the supervisory board, in a prepared statement. “During his many years of successful work on the Executive Board, he has helped drive forward the Group's internationalization and opened up new growth areas whilst continuously developing the corporate strategy together with the entire Executive Board. With the departure of Martin Lehner, Wacker Neuson Group is losing a valued CEO, who has shaped the company with his commitment, expertise and innovative drive.”
Lehner has worked for the Group and its predecessor companies since 1987. During the course of his more than 30-year career with the company, he has held various management positions and played a decisive role in successfully developing individual entities and merging them into a listed, global corporation. Prior to the merger of Wacker Construction Equipment AG and Neuson Kramer Baumaschinen AG in 2007, Lehner restructured the Kramer Group and was responsible for completely realigning it. In 2004, he became a member of the executive board of Neuson Kramer. Following the merger, he was appointed to the executive board of the newly created Wacker Neuson SE and became chairman in 2017.
In 2014, Wacker Neuson launched its first fully electric light equipment product. Its zero emission product portfolio has expanded in recent years to include a wide range of products including vibratory plates, wheel loaders, dumpers, and the first fully electric mini excavator.
“Martin Lehner’s outstanding technical knowledge, his keen instinct for innovation and his passion for construction equipment has helped make Wacker Neuson the technology leader it is today in the field of electric light and compact equipment,” said Neunteufel. “Through his huge personal involvement in developing digital business models plus a wide range of further initiatives, Mr. Lehner has laid the foundation for the Wacker Neuson Group’s transition from a production-focused organization to a software-oriented company. This has put our Group on a very strong footing to face the challenges of the coming years.”
“I have spent many successful years at the Wacker Neuson Group,” Lehner said in a statement. “During this time, the organization has grown to become a leading manufacturer of light and compact equipment. Now, the time has come for me to focus on new tasks and challenges.”
Source: Wacker Neuson
