OEM&Lieferant Ausgabe 1/2018

120 If we are to meet the challenges of increasing globalization and digitalization, declining fos- sil fuel resources, and extremely fast-growing markets in Asia and elsewhere – we need to be right at the top of our game – strategical- ly, organizationally, and in terms of expertise. At Thomas, we recognized years ago that we have to keep pace with the changes happening in order to maintain a strong position going forward. In the foreseeable future, vehicles with traditional combustion engines as we have always known them will give way to new designs based on alternative drive systems. At the same time, people all over the world are increasingly mobile. New vehicles are expected to provide every conceivable feature, putting ever greater demands on manufacturers and their suppliers. Almost analogous to the growing market, Thomas has also strongly developed since the last economic crisis in 2008/2009. “We have grown from a workforce of around 200 after the last global economic crisis to over 700 to- day. That puts new demands on us in many are- as,” explains CEO Markus Krauss. “We need to create new office space and adapt our existing structures. Many of the things that used to run on their own now have to be channeled in the right direction and incorporated into carefully regulated processes.” As well as expanding our existing areas of business, the company has established new units and departments, in- cluding its own Plastics Technology unit (2012) and new product development departments focusing on different areas, e.g., electronics and sensors. The strong structural and growth-related changes throughout the past years caused necessary modifications in the management. Back in 2014, when Christoph Thomas joined the company, it was decided that his father Dietrich Thomas, Chairman of the Manage- ment Board (CEO) since 1982, would begin his well-earned retirement towards the end of the decade while retaining a seat on the Advisory Board. Markus Krauss has spent 14 years on the Man- agement Board with Dietrich Thomas and will now take over the position of CEO. At the same time, Christoph Thomas will join the Manage- ment Board from the Transmission Manage- ment Unit, which has been highly successful in recent years under his leadership, so that Management reshuffle at Thomas Repositioned for the future Strong growth, rapid market changes, and a long-planned succession on the Management Board. There are years in the life of every company when everything seems to happen at once. Of course, many of those changes don’t occur overnight, and ideally – as in the case of Thomas – the company will have made suitable preparations to ensure that it is well prepared. Thomas is specialized in developing electromagnetic actuators in combination with electronic systems. After 35 years, the management has changed in January 2018. News Images: © Thomas The new Thomas Management (from left to right): CHRISTOPH THOMAS • Appointed Head of Transmission Management at Thomas in 2014 after several years as a devel- opment project manager for a major automotive supplier. • Future Management Board responsibility for the ongoing strategic development of the automotive business (New Business) and for the fast-growing Mobile Hydraulics. MARKUS KRAUSS • Joined the Management Board at Thomas in 2003, overall responsibility for operational management. • Due to take over as Chair of the Management Board (CEO) with responsibility for strategy, finance, IT, business processes, and quality management, and additional responsibility for the Commercial Vehicles business unit. JÜRGEN HECK • Joined Thomas as Head of Engine and Trans- mission Management in 2014 after many years in CTO positions, e.g., a technology-oriented elec- tronics firm in the automotive sector. Developed products such as head-up displays and wireless charging to series production level. • Takes over Management Board responsibility for the Automobile business unit, Technology, Actuators, Electronics, Plastics Technology, Sup- ply Chain Management and Operations as well as Automotive Business Development in the Chinese and U.S. markets.