Current CFO and deputy CEO Dr Stephen Kimmich will succeed Dr Andreas Pleßke as CEO at the group’s AGM on 4 June.
Kimmich has worked at the business since 2020.
Pleßke will take on special responsibilities ahead of retiring at the end of the year.
Kimmich’s replacement as CFO is Dr Alexander Blum, who joins from outside the industry. He is currently group CFO at IT services provider Netgo Group and prior to that helmed finance at BBS Automation.
Blum will join on 1 May to ensure a smooth handover.
In November Koenig & Bauer announced plans to reduce its executive board from five to two members, and streamline its business segments from three to two.
As part of the changes long-standing executive board member Christoph Müller will step down at the end of March. He will continue to act as an executive adviser until his contract expires next year.
Posting on LinkedIn, he said: “After 40 years, this was the right step to give the next generation the opportunity to shape things themselves and do things differently. I will continue to be available next year with my experience and knowledge of the industry.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the countless friends and acquaintances I have met in my professional life who have supported me and placed their trust in me.
“I would especially like to thank my colleagues and employees who have always supported me loyally and critically.”
Ralf Sammeck, who had headed up the Sheetfed business for nearly 20 years, will retire in June.
Markus Weiß leads the new Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems division as a member of the group management team.
Christian Steinmaßl, who joined from Heidelberg last year and is responsible for various areas in the new Special & New Technologies business, will in addition assume responsibility for the Digital & Webfed unit.
Professor Dr Raimund Klinkner, chairman of Koenig & Bauer’s supervisory board, commented: “Within just one year, we have now completed a comprehensive restructuring of the group. This commitment is the tailwind with which the new management team will shape the future of the company and the industry.”
