From the Sector

• Michael Pieper is not standing for re-election
• Stefaan Haspeslagh will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting
• The change is related to the transfer of the shareholding of Artemis Beteiligungen I AG to Picanol Group

Michael Pieper, a member of the Board of Directors of Rieter Holding AG since 2009, has informed Rieter that Artemis Beteiligungen I AG has sold its 11.5% block of shares to the Picanol Group (Picanol NV), Belgium, and that he thus will not stand for re-election at the Annual General Meeting on April 15, 2021.

Michael Pieper has supported and helped to significantly shape the development of Rieter for more than ten years. He joined Rieter as a major shareholder in 2008, and since then has been strongly involved in the strategic realignment of the group.

“On behalf of the Rieter Group, I extend our sincere gratitude to Michael Pieper for his extremely successful and valuable work on the Board of Directors and, above all, for his commitment as a long-term major shareholder,” said Bernhard Jucker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rieter Holding AG.

The Board of Directors of Rieter Holding AG today announced its intention to propose Stefaan Haspeslagh for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting on April 15, 2021.
Stefaan Haspeslagh (born 1958) holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. He has been Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of the Picanol Group (Picanol NV), Belgium, since 2010. In addition, Stefaan Haspeslagh has also been Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Tessenderlo Group NV, Belgium, since 2014. As a director of Cellpack NV, Belgium, he has been in office since 2001.

“Rieter welcomes the new major shareholder, Picanol NV. Luc Tack, majority shareholder and CEO of Picanol, has been a member of the Board of Directors of Rieter for four years. Stefaan Haspeslagh is characterized by broad, international management experience in the textile sector and is very well connected in the industry”, stated Bernhard Jucker, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

All other current members of the Board of Directors will stand for reelection at the Annual General Meeting.

Lenzing expands its Management Board, naming a new CTO and an additional Management Board member for “Pulp and Wood Raw Materials”

The Supervisory Board of Lenzing AG, the world’s leading producer of botanic cellulose fibers, has appointed two new members to the company’s Management Board. Stephan Sielaff will serve as the new Chief Technology Officer effective March 1, 2020, succeeding Heiko Arnold, who left the Lenzing Group in November 2019. At the same time, Lenzing’s highest management body led by Chairman Stefan Doboczky will be expanded to include a newly created Management Board position for “Pulp and Wood Raw Materials” and will thus consist of five members instead of four. Christian Skilich will assume the position of Member of the Management Board for Pulp and Wood Raw Materials as at June 1, 2020.

“In the coming years our focus will be on achieving the strategic target of strongly increasing our own supply of pulp in line with our corporate strategy sCore TEN. By creating this new division, the composition of the Management Board now also reflects this focus”, says Peter Edelmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lenzing AG.

Stephan Sielaff is a chemical engineer who gained experience in the chemical industry in the years 1993 to 2014, holding various management positions for Unilever and Symrise. Since 2014, he has worked for the Swiss specialty chemicals company Archroma, an important supplier of the textile and paper industry, as a Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer (COO).He has been responsible for forming the integrated operational structure and the strategic development of the company.

Christian Skilich, who will assume management responsibility for the new Pulp and Wood Raw Materials Division in the Lenzing Group, boasts outstanding expertise in the field of paper and pulp technology. With a Master of Science in Paper Technology and Engineering & Economics, he first held various positions in the paper, packaging and glass industries. Since 2004, he has worked in a broad range of management areas on behalf of the internationally operating Mondi Group. Christian Skilich most recently served as Chief Operating Officer on Mondi’s Board of Directors, overseeing projects in the USA and Europe.

Archroma announced its transition plan for the function of Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors of Archroma has appointed Heike van de Kerkhof to succeed current CEO Alexander Wessels effective January 6, 2020. Mr. Wessels has held the CEO position at Archroma since the Company was established in October 2013 and will be appointed as Vice Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors. He will also take on a Senior Advisory role within SK Capital working across its portfolio of investments, which includes Archroma.

Alexander Wessels commented, “I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with SK Capital and the Archroma team over the past six and a half years, which has really been an incredible journey. We are coming off another record year in terms of profitability and the business is uniquely positioned to capitalize on its significant momentum moving forward. For me personally, this is the ideal moment to take on my next challenge and in Heike we have found the ideal person to pass the baton to. We look forward to a seamless transition and I am excited to continue to support the Company as a member of the Board of Directors.”

“I have a true passion for innovation and sustainability, and I am thrilled to join Archroma as its next CEO,” Heike van de Kerkhof commented. “The Company has established itself as a leader in sustainable chemistry based on its strong technology-driven product portfolio with a solid foundation to further build upon. I believe Archroma is uniquely positioned to support its customers’ manufacturing processes in a cost effective and sustainable manner. The investments made into research and technology during the first stage of SK Capital’s ownership have positioned Archroma to reach new levels of growth and success.”

The Board of Directors of Autoneum Holding Ltd appoints Bernhard Wiehl, the longstanding Head of Finance & Controlling of Business Group Europe, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Group Executive Board with immediate effect. The previous CFO Dr Martin Zwyssig has decided to leave Autoneum.

Bernhard Wiehl has been responsible for Finance & Controlling at Business Group Europe since 2013. Also thanks to his financial leadership, this Business Group with its numerous legal units has become highly profitable in recent years. Prior to joining Autoneum, he held senior finance and controlling positions with various automotive suppliers and has therefore extensive experience in the financial management of internationally active suppliers. Additionally, he is very familiar with the challenges of the automotive industry in a global environment. From 2007 to 2013, he was Head of Finance & Controlling and member of the Executive Board of the Lighting and Electronics division at the German automotive supplier Hella and from 2004 to 2007, among other things, in charge of controlling of the Europedivision of the supplier Hydraulik-Ring. Wiehl started his professional career in 1995 at TRW Automotive in Germany. He studied mechanical and industrial engineering at the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and holds a degree in industrial engineering (FH).

Bernhard Wiehl’s predecessor Dr Martin Zwyssig decided to leave the Company and to take up a new professional challenge. The Board of Directors and CEO Matthias Holzammer thank him for the commitment to the Company and wish him all the best for his professional and private future.

At the 128th Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd. on April 4, 2019, 502 shareholders, who represent 63.8% of the share capital, participated. A dividend of CHF 5.00 per share was agreed. The shareholders approved the proposed maximum total amounts of the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors and of the Group Executive Committee for the fiscal year 2020.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bernhard Jucker, and the members of the Board of Directors This E. Schneider, Michael Pieper, Hans-Peter Schwald, Peter Spuhler, Roger Baillod, Carl Illi and Luc Tack were confirmed for an additional oneyear term of office.

Furthermore, This E. Schneider, Hans-Peter Schwald and Bernhard Jucker, the members of the Remuneration Committee who were standing for election, were also re-elected for a one-year term of office.

Shareholders also adopted all other motions proposed by the Board of Directors, namely approval of the annual report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements for 2018, and formal approval of the actions of the members of the Board of Directors and those of the Group Executive Committee in the year under review.