Succession from within the company: Personnel change in the BENTELER Steel/Tube management team

Salzburg / Paderborn, March 31, 2023. Christian Wiethüchter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BENTELER Steel/Tube, has decided to leave the company for personal reasons and on best terms. After six years with BENTELER Steel/Tube, Christian Wiethüchter will return to the USA together with his family.

As Managing Director of the Steel/Tube Division, Christian Wiethüchter was most recently responsible for sales, strategy/communication/project management, human resources, and the successful ramp-up of the steel tube plant in Shreveport (USA). During his time at BENTELER, he played a key role in the successful transformation of the Steel/Tube Division. Today the division is characterized by a modern management culture, cross-functional cooperation and achieved record results in the past fiscal year.

Ralf Göttel, CEO of the BENTELER Group: "On behalf of the entire Management Board of the BENTELER Group, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Christian Wiethüchter for his outstanding dedication. BENTELER Steel/Tube is on the road to success. It is economically strong, a quality leader, and industry-wide pioneer in the field of sustainability. The transformation of the past years is paying off. Christian Wiethüchter has played a decisive role in this. He has demonstrated his expertise not only through his excellent work at our plant in Shreveport in the USA and in opening up new sales channels, but also by making a major contribution to the corporate culture of the Steel/Tube Division and by putting together a powerful management team, which will continue along the path we have chosen. We wish him all the very best for his future personal and professional endeavors."

The BENTELER Steel/Tube Management Board will reallocate Christian Wiethüchter's previous areas of responsibility among the members of the Management Board and will consistently pursue the successful implementation of the strategic transformation at BENTELER Steel/Tube.

Ralph Mathis becomes CSO of BENTELER Steel/Tube

In this context, Ralph Mathis, Vice President Business Area Industry & Distribution at BENTELER Steel/Tube, will be appointed as a new member of the Management Board of BENTELER Steel/Tube as of April 1, 2023. He will assume the position of Chief Sales Officer (CSO). Ralph Mathis has many years of sales experience. Prior to joining BENTELER, he worked for Kelvion Holding GmbH in various management positions, most recently as Executive Vice President. Before that, he worked for the GEA Group for many years, including in China.

In future, Ralph Mathis will be responsible for the Business Areas Automotive and Industry & Distribution in the role of Chief Sales Officer. In addition, North America Sales and Sales Operations & Processes will report to him.

Dr. Tobias Braun, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) BENTELER Steel/Tube, will remain a member of the Management Board of BENTELER Steel/Tube, in addition to his position as CFO of the BENTELER Group. He will also be responsible for Strategy, Communications and Project Management. The areas of Finance, Controlling & Processes as well as Compliance will also continue to report to him.

Thomas Michels, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at BENTELER Steel/Tube, will in future also be responsible for Human Resources as well as for the Shreveport plant. In addition, the European plants will continue to report directly to him. The same applies to Manufacturing Engineering, SHE & Operation Services, Purchasing and the raw materials trading company Günther Voth GmbH.

Ralf Göttel continues, "I am very pleased that we already have a highly competent management team at BENTELER Steel/Tube, which we can now expand with another experienced leader from our own ranks. As Chief Sales Officer, Ralph Mathis will, together with the other members of the Management Board, continue the successful course of BENTELER Steel/Tube."

Christian Wiethüchter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) BENTELER Steel/Tube, hat sich dazu entschieden, das Unternehmen aus persönlichen Gründen und in bestem Einvernehmen zu verlassen. Nach sechs Jahren bei BENTELER Steel/Tube wird Christian Wiethüchter gemeinsam mit seiner Familie in die USA zurückkehren.