Changes at the Röchling Group

The Industrial division will supply all other industrial business sectors. By 2020, this division should grow to EUR 1 billion - of this, approximately EUR 100 million will be the result of acquisitions. As of June of this year, Rüdiger Keinberger, who was appointed to the Executive Board of the former High-Performance Plastics division in the summer of 2015, will be responsible for this division on the Röchling Executive Board.

The Automotive division will remain the largest division, encompassing all the companies that supply the automobile industry. By 2020, Röchling intends to increase sales from the current EUR 800 million to EUR 1.25 billion, primarily through the successful management of organic growth. The previous spokesman of Röchling Automotive SE, Erwin Doll, will replace Georg Duffner in June as the responsible member of the Executive Board at the lead company.

Completing the new Executive Board team will be Steffen Rowold, who along with his activity as CFO of the Automotive division will assume responsibility from Georg Duffner the "Financial" area at the lead company. As a result, as of June 1, 2016, the new Röchling Executive Board will present itself as a four-member Executive Board with clear divisional authority and a traditional CFO in a cross-divisional position.

"Our new Executive Board members have proven themselves over many years in the Röchling Group. We are proud to be able to put together such an impressive lead company from our own ranks," von Salmuth said.

Erwin Doll, 56, who studied mechanical engineering, worked for 13 years for BASF within the plastics department and was subsequently employed at the automotive supplier Johnson Controls and the Plastic Omnium Group. In 2006, Mr. Doll joined the Röchling Group, where he was appointed Executive Vice President of Sales and R&D at Röchling Automotive, where he has served as spokesman since 2011. As a new member of the Röchling Group's Executive Board, he will be responsible for the Automotive division as of June 1, 2016.

Rüdiger Keinberger also studied mechanical engineering. After holding various positions, he joined Leder-fabrik Poeschl, which Röchling acquired in 1993. Born in Austria, he served as COO and CEO of Röchling Leripa Papertech in the USA for many years. From 2005 to 2015, Keinberger was Managing Director of Röchling Leripa Papertech in Austria and since 2011 has also served as Director of the Machined Components business unit of Röchling Engineering Plastics. In September 2015, the 50-year-old was appointed to the Executive Board of the Röchling Engineering Plastics Group. As a new member of the Röchling Group's Executive Board, he will be responsible for the new Industry division as of June 1, 2016.

With a graduate degree in business administration, Steffen Rowold began his career in the Controlling department of Blaupunkt Werke GmbH in Hildesheim (Germany) before transferring to Pierburg AG in Neuss (Germany). In 2001, the 51-year-old joined the Röchling Group, where he served as the Commercial Director of Röchling Automotive Peine KG until 2009. From 2004 to 2008, he was also a member of the Executive Board at the newly founded Röchling Technical Parts KG. In 2009, Mr. Rowold was appointed Board member in charge of commercial management at Röchling Automotive. As a new member of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of the Röchling Group, Rowold will be responsible for the Financial division as of June 1, 2016.