Leoni appoints Dr Frank Hiller to take charge of its Wiring Systems Division effective 1 January 2016
Decision no longer to have one person in both the CEO and CFO roles
Dr Werner Rupp, Chairman of Leoni AG’s Supervisory Board, said: “Today’s decision is a sign of our confidence in Frank Hiller. The Supervisory Board is convinced that, with his many years of experience in the automotive industry, he is an ideal appointment to lead the Wiring Systems Division back to its targeted course of profit-oriented growth.” As an interim solution, Dr Hiller has already been managing the Wiring Systems Division together with Dieter Bellé since the beginning of November and is consequently involved particularly in implementing the performance enhancement projects.
“I am convinced by the Wiring Systems Division’s business model and look forward to my new duties,” Dr Hiller said. “Our Wiring Systems Division is Europe’s no.1 provider of cable harnesses and wiring systems. This constitutes a tremendous basis for further growth.”
The Supervisory Board has already initiated a clearly structured process to search for a successor to head the Wire & Cable Solutions Division. The Chairman of the Management Board, Dieter Bellé, and Dr Frank Hiller will jointly manage the division on a temporary basis until a successor is appointed. The Supervisory Board also decided today to abrogate the dual position of CEO and CFO. Dieter Bellé, who took over as Chairman of the Management Board in May 2015 and, in addition, continued in his position as Chief Financial Officer, will, given the Group’s expansion and further globalisation, concentrate on his CEO duties in the future. The Supervisory Board will appoint a new Chief Financial Officer and thus a fourth member of Leoni AG’s Management Board as soon as possible.