Micronas refocuses its Management on the automotive sector (PR0911)
Zurich, September 17, 2009 - Following the restructuring of the Company, Micronas (SIX Swiss Exchange: MASN) is appointing a new CEO and CFO. The Board of Directors is also being renewed. Having closed its Consumer division in order to focus on the automotive sector, the Company has thus ensured that its Management and Board also reflect this new start. The new, streamlined Micronas is now in an excellent position to tackle the future.
The Board of Directors has chosen Matthias Bopp (45) to be the Company's new CEO. Bopp, who studied electrical engineering at the University of Kaiserslautern, has worked in the semiconductor industry for more than 15 years. Not only does he have wide experience in the design and development of semiconductors, but he is also an experienced automotive man. Most recently he managed the Radio Frequency and Automotive Division of NASDAQ-quoted semiconductor company Atmel in Germany.
"Matthias Bopp is a proven specialist with great management experience and excellent knowledge of both the semiconductor sector and the automotive market. He will be able to take Micronas’ automotive strategy successfully into the future," explains outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors Thomas Lustenberger.
Günter Hoppe (59) will be appointed as the new CFO. Hoppe, who studied economics at the University of Freiburg, has worked for Micronas since 1997. He is currently Deputy CFO.
CEO Wolfgang Kalsbach and CFO Manfred Häner are resigning as previously announced. The exact date of their departure has not yet been fixed, because in the wake of the Company's restructuring they want to ensure a seamless transition to the new Management team.
Current members Thomas Lustenberger, Christoph Brand, Rudolf W. Hug and Harald Stanzer are all stepping down from the Board of Directors. Outgoing Chairman of the Board Thomas Lustenberger explains: "As we said six months ago, having restructured the Company to concentrate on the automotive sector, we want to reflect this new start in the make-up of the Board as well."
The Board of Directors proposes that the extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of November 27, 2009, elect the following four new members to the Board: Klaus Blickle (54), physicist, who as CEO of global automotive supplier Harman Becker Automotive Systems manages around 8,000 employees; Dieter G. Seipler (62), physicist, CEO of Germany-based MANN+HUMMEL Holding, a major supplier to the automotive industry, with a turnover of EUR 1.8 billion; Stefan Wolf (47), lawyer, Chairman of the Board of German automotive supplier ElringKlinger AG, which specializes in sealing systems and which turns over EUR 658 million; and the Swiss Lucas A. Grolimund (43), electrical engineer, former CEO of technology group Cicor and of Schlatter Holding AG, and former CFO of Gate Gourmet Group.
The one member remaining from the existing Board is Heinrich W. Kreutzer, who is slated to take over as Chairman. Kreutzer says: "We are pleased to have attracted such outstanding automotive market experts to Micronas as Board members and as our new CEO. The Management of Micronas is now optimally focused on the automotive business and its further development."
Zurich, September 17, 2009