This adds the newly created role of CSO to the Leadec Group’s top management team of Markus Glaser-Gallion (CEO), Christian Geißler (CFO) and Markus Hucko (COO). “We are on a growth path and will reach more than one billion in sales in 2022. This requires an even stronger focus on sales and customers, which we are living up to with this new position,” explains Markus Glaser-Gallion, CEO of Leadec.

Martin Kuhnhen (52) was previously a member of the Executive Management Committee of Jenoptik AG as Head of the Light & Production Division. Most recently, he was responsible for sales of approx. 200 million euros with smart manufacturing solutions primarily for the automotive industry. In this role, he developed independent, product-focused business units into a fully integrated, market-oriented division. The integration of acquired companies to expand the portfolio, in which he also played a key role, also contributed to this. 

Prior to this, he held various management positions at Kuka Roboter for almost 20 years, most recently as CSO. Among other things, he built up business development for new markets as well as new companies in several countries and an internationally networked key account management. Kuhnhen studied electrical engineering at the University of Wuppertal and completed a Master of Management degree at Management Zentrum St. Gallen.

Generating sales of 150 million euros and having 700 employees, Leadec’s Automation & Engineering Division is a global cross-departmental function that combines the entire project business. The expertise in this area specifically complements Leadec’s core business of on-site services such as production equipment maintenance, facility management and in-plant logistics. This unique combination enables Leadec to offer services along the entire life cycle of the factory from a single source – from planning, installation and commissioning to maintenance and relocation or dismantling.

Martin Kuhnhen will be responsible for the European Business Units of Global Automation & Engineering; Diversified Automation in the USA, which was acquired at the end of 2020, will continue to be managed separately.

“We are very pleased to have secured Martin Kuhnhen, an internationally experienced manager with many years of experience, who will expand the important Automation & Engineering Division and, as CSO, drive our growth in booming industries such as e-commerce and the consumer goods industry,” says Markus Glaser-Gallion.

Megatrends such as mobility, decarbonization and connectivity are leading to a more technical service portfolio from Leadec, e.g., relating to lithium-ion batteries, carbon-neutral production or fully digitized maintenance and spare parts management.