Klaus Deller named next Schaeffler CEO

On 1 July 2014, Klaus Deller will take over from Klaus Rosenfeld as chief executive officer of major Continental shareholder Schaeffler AG; Rosenfeld has held this office on an interim basis since the departure of Jürgen M. Geißinger last year. Deller will also become a member of the Board of Directors of INA-Holding. The appointment was confirmed by Schaeffler’s Supervisory Board yesterday.

In his incumbent position, held since 2009, Klaus Deller serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Knorr-Bremse AG and has responsibility for commercial vehicle systems. Prior to that, he held senior positions at automotive suppliers Brose and Bosch. “Klaus Deller is an exceptional leader with substantial experience in the automotive supplier industry,” stated Schaeffler AG Supervisory Board chairman Georg F. W. Schaeffler. “We are convinced that under his leadership, we will be able to further strengthen our position as the technology leader in automotive and industrial applications.”

Upon Deller’s arrival, Klaus Rosenfeld will become deputy CEO of Schaeffler AG and will focus once more on his existing responsibilities as chief financial officer. In addition, Klaus Rosenfeld will become the only non-family member to join the board of INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co KG, which holds the Schaeffler family’s participations in Continental AG and Schaeffler Group.

“Klaus Rosenfeld has made a major contribution to our company over the past years,” said Georg F. W. Schaeffler. “Following the leadership change in October 2013, he realigned the organisational and management structure of our company and initiated a cultural change in terms of leadership and communications. With his appointment as Deputy CEO of Schaeffler AG and as Member of the Board of INA-Holding, we honour his outstanding performance and commitment to our company. We will continue to move forward with the refocusing of Schaeffler Group that has been initiated under his leadership.”