GEA Group announced an early decision to extend CEO Stefan Klebert’s contract until the end of 2028. The executive board will also be restructured from the beginning of 2026: it will be expanded from three to six members, the Global Executive Committee and the COO role will be dissolved, with a transition period in 2026. Three newly structured divisions will become dedicated Executive Board areas, while the key growth markets China and India will fall under the direct responsibility of the CEO. A new People & Sustainability Board area will combine HR, Sustainability, and Legal.

Prof. Dieter Kempf, Chairman of the GEA Supervisory Board: “The Supervisory Board is delighted that Stefan Klebert has agreed to extend his term of office, thus continuing our successful and trust-based cooperation. He has been highly successful in driving the company’s transformation and securing GEA’s entry into the DAX. We are convinced that his strategic foresight and clear direction will guide GEA into its next phase of growth.”

Top GEA executives were appointed to head the restructured Executive Board areas:

• Alexander Kocherscheidt is appointed to be Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He will succeed Bernd Brinker, who leaves GEA effective October 31, 2025
• Nadine Sterley will take over the new People & Sustainability Executive Board area role, as well as Director of Labor. Her area of responsibility will include the HR, Sustainability, and Legal core functions.
• Kai Becker will assume Executive Board responsibility for the Pure Flow Processing Division. This restructured division will comprise the Separation & Flow Technologies Division and the components business of Heating & Refrigeration Technologies. The Heating & Refrigeration Technologies Division currently headed by Kai Becker will be dissolved as of December 31, 2025.
• Klaus Stojentin will assume Executive Board responsibility for the Nutrition Plant Engineering Division. This restructured division will combine the business of the Liquid & Powder Technologies Division with the Heating & Refrigeration Solutions business of the Heating & Refrigeration Technologies Division.
• Peter Lauwers will assume Executive Board responsibility for the Pharma & Food Applications Division, currently known as the Food & Healthcare Technologies Division; the Division’s portfolio will remain unchanged.

All new members of the Executive Board will serve for a term of three years until December 31, 2028, with the exception of Alexander Kocherscheidt, who has been appointed until October 31, 2028.

“The Supervisory Board looks forward to fruitful collaboration with the new Executive Board team,” says Prof. Dieter Kempf. “We are firmly convinced that the new Executive Board members embody exactly the right mix of entrepreneurship, drive, and innovative spirit. They have demonstrated these attributes impressively in their previous roles at GEA. Together, they will make a pivotal contribution to GEA’s continued development as a technology and sustainability pioneer. At the same time, we extend our sincere thanks to Bernd Brinker, who is leaving by mutual agreement, for his important contributions and outstanding commitment. We greatly welcome that Johannes Giloth will support the transition phase of the COO area until mid-2026. We also thank him warmly for his very successful work, which has significantly contributed to the increase in value of GEA in recent years.”

The area headed by Chief Operating Officer Johannes Giloth – currently an Executive Board area – will be dissolved with a transition period through June 30, 2026. A centralized procurement function will be retained, in future reporting to the CEO. The other key COO functions will be integrated into the portfolios of the other Executive Board members.

In the future, the fast-growing markets of China and India will report directly to the CEO to foster entrepreneurship and accelerate growth, GEA underlines.

GEA CEO Stefan Klebert: “I greatly look forward to working with my new Executive Board team, all of whom I have known for many years and respect both professionally and personally. I would like to thank our Supervisory Board for the trust placed in me and the future Executive Board team. With the new Executive Board and organizational structure, we are establishing an even better foundation for accelerated profitable growth as part of our Mission 30 strategy. I owe special thanks to those colleagues who are leaving for their pivotal input. In particular, the efficiency programs of recent years in the COO area have contributed greatly to growing GEA’s value.”

Photos: GEA