Michael Mertin brings his experience as the longtime Chief Executive Officer for the listed technology group Jenoptik to the Commission. "The basic principles of responsible and value-oriented corporate management are essential to build a foundation for the long-term sustainable success of the company," according to the Jenoptik CEO. "Good corporate governance helps strengthen the trust of shareholders, customers, employees, and the greater public in a company and also makes it possible to manage risks appropriately."
As a new member of the Commission, Michael Mertin aims at continuing the intensive dialogue with politics and society. "We have to succeed in conveying that good corporate governance also contributes to social peace. For the principles of corporate governance set the frame for companies to be successful in the long term as well as internationally competitive."
Besides Michael Mertin, two other managers have also been called to participate as members of the Commission: Joachim Faber (chairman of the supervisory board of Deutsche Börse AG) and Thomas Kremer (member of the board of management, responsible for legal affairs and compliance, Deutsche Telekom AG). Manfred Gentz will take over as the chairman of the Commission. He served, among other things, as the CFO of DaimlerChrysler AG and as the chairman of the supervisory board respectively the board of directors of Deutsche Börse AG and Zurich Financial Services.
Michael Mertin has been the Chief Executive Officer of JENOPTIK AG since 2007. The studied physicist is also an active member of various economic organizations and technology associations. In June of 2013, Michael Mertin was elected vice-president of the Economic Council to the CDU e.V. (Wirtschaftsrat). He has served as the president for the European technology platform Photonics21 since November of 2012. Additionally, he is also the chairman of the board of trustees of the Frauenhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF) in Jena and a member of the board of the Spectaris high-tech association.
The Commission's German Corporate Governance Code addresses topics dealing with good, responsible corporate management. Established by the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Commission first published its so-called German Corporate Governance Code in 2002. It contains internationally and nationally recognized standards for good, responsible business management. The Commission reviews the Code every year to determine to what extent the rules for corporate management and supervision must be adapted.