Jens Rottmair has informed the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and main shareholder, Ludwig Merckle, that he does not want to extend his contract for personal reasons. It has now been jointly agreed what the transitional period should look like. Jens Rottmair is scheduled to leave the company at the end of the current 2021/22 financial year on September 30, 2022.
Jens Rottmair joined the company as a member of the Management Board on May 1st, 2006 and since then has been the spokesman for the company without interruption. During this time the company has had a very successful development. With a constant market volume, Jens Rottmair and the entire management team managed to increase the global market share to over 60%. He has strongly shaped and influenced the success story of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG. Mr. Rottmair has realigned Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG. With the expansion of business activities to include the utility sector (tracked vehicles outside of the snow), he set the important course for a broader sales base and thus the future of the company as a 3-division company. New innovative paths were also taken with the main sales driver, the PistenBully. With SNOWsat, a holistic digital application was created that offers ski areas worldwide solutions for their snow and ski area management.
Under his leadership there were several corporate acquisitions that strengthen the company's strategic direction now and in the future. Jens Rottmair was responsible for the areas of development, procurement, production, logistics as well as marketing, sales, service and all subsidiaries.
The Laupheim site has been continuously expanded since it was settled in 2002. Most recently, the customer center was built in 2017, the new logistics hall with a high degree of automation in 2019 and the training center in 2020. These important extensions were a clear signal to customers, employees and the market and clearly bear his signature. Under his leadership, large investments were also made in the foreign subsidiaries to expand the locations in the USA, Switzerland and Italy in order to secure the leading role worldwide.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020, 2021 and until today, Jens Rottmair and his management team led the company through economically difficult times. The goal is and always has been to survive the crisis, to seize any opportunities that arise and, above all, to preserve jobs.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Ludwig Merckle, thanks Jens Rottmair: “The Supervisory Board regrets that Jens Rottmair is now leaving. In his 16 years as Spokesman of the Management Board, Mr. Rottmair successfully managed the company and set the decisive strategic course for the future. However, I have a lot of sympathy for his decision today.”
Jens Rottmair did not make this final decision easily: "I am grateful to have been able to manage a company that has an outstanding image worldwide and is active in the most beautiful regions of the world. I am particularly grateful for the support of all employees who are passionate about their products and their company and who prove their enthusiasm every day and who have always supported me over the years. Now my whole focus is on my own family.”
The Supervisory Board has already started a search with a personnel consultant to find a successor for the two Executive Board departments for which Mr. Rottmair is responsible. A director for the area of technology and a director for the area of sales are to be sought. Until the two new board members join the board, the former board member of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, Rolf Glessing, will be the new spokesman for Mr. Rottmair's previous board areas and will manage the company together with the CFO & CDO, Mr. Steffen Kaiser. In addition, the Supervisory Board decided that Supervisory Board member Wolfgang Hänle will act as Operating Consultant until a new, dedicated Executive Board member for Technology and Operations is appointed, thus supporting both Executive Board members in day-to-day operations in these areas.
- After 16 years, Jens Rottmair is stepping down as spokesman for the company.
- The Supervisory Board would like to thank Jens Rottmair for his great achievements and successes for the company over the past 16 years and for the strategic direction of the three-division strategy - PistenBully, BeachTech and PowerBully.
- Jens Rottmair's board areas will be managed by Rolf Glessing as interim board member until the new board members join.
- Supervisory Board member Wolfgang Hänle assumes the role of operational consultant in the areas of technology, development and operations.
Jens Rottmair joined the company as a member of the Management Board on May 1st, 2006 and since then has been the spokesman for the company without interruption. During this time the company has had a very successful development. With a constant market volume, Jens Rottmair and the entire management team managed to increase the global market share to over 60%. He has strongly shaped and influenced the success story of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG. Mr. Rottmair has realigned Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG. With the expansion of business activities to include the utility sector (tracked vehicles outside of the snow), he set the important course for a broader sales base and thus the future of the company as a 3-division company. New innovative paths were also taken with the main sales driver, the PistenBully. With SNOWsat, a holistic digital application was created that offers ski areas worldwide solutions for their snow and ski area management.
Under his leadership there were several corporate acquisitions that strengthen the company's strategic direction now and in the future. Jens Rottmair was responsible for the areas of development, procurement, production, logistics as well as marketing, sales, service and all subsidiaries.
The Laupheim site has been continuously expanded since it was settled in 2002. Most recently, the customer center was built in 2017, the new logistics hall with a high degree of automation in 2019 and the training center in 2020. These important extensions were a clear signal to customers, employees and the market and clearly bear his signature. Under his leadership, large investments were also made in the foreign subsidiaries to expand the locations in the USA, Switzerland and Italy in order to secure the leading role worldwide.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020, 2021 and until today, Jens Rottmair and his management team led the company through economically difficult times. The goal is and always has been to survive the crisis, to seize any opportunities that arise and, above all, to preserve jobs.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Ludwig Merckle, thanks Jens Rottmair: “The Supervisory Board regrets that Jens Rottmair is now leaving. In his 16 years as Spokesman of the Management Board, Mr. Rottmair successfully managed the company and set the decisive strategic course for the future. However, I have a lot of sympathy for his decision today.”
Jens Rottmair did not make this final decision easily: "I am grateful to have been able to manage a company that has an outstanding image worldwide and is active in the most beautiful regions of the world. I am particularly grateful for the support of all employees who are passionate about their products and their company and who prove their enthusiasm every day and who have always supported me over the years. Now my whole focus is on my own family.”
The Supervisory Board has already started a search with a personnel consultant to find a successor for the two Executive Board departments for which Mr. Rottmair is responsible. A director for the area of technology and a director for the area of sales are to be sought. Until the two new board members join the board, the former board member of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, Rolf Glessing, will be the new spokesman for Mr. Rottmair's previous board areas and will manage the company together with the CFO & CDO, Mr. Steffen Kaiser. In addition, the Supervisory Board decided that Supervisory Board member Wolfgang Hänle will act as Operating Consultant until a new, dedicated Executive Board member for Technology and Operations is appointed, thus supporting both Executive Board members in day-to-day operations in these areas.
