Press Release
ZF Supervisory Board Appoints Sebastian Schmitt to Board of Management
- Effective September 1, 2026, Schmitt will oversee the Electrified Powertrain Technology division as a member of the Board of Management
- Dr. Peter Holdmann will not seek to renew his contract and will step down from the Board of Management on August 31, 2026
Friedrichshafen, Germany. ZF Friedrichshafen AG appointed Sebastian Schmitt, 44, to its Board of Management as part of a leadership reshuffle, effective September 1, 2026. Schmitt will oversee the Electrified Powertrain Technology division, which he has led since November 2025. Dr. Peter Holdmann, a member of the ZF Board of Management since May 2024, has informed the Supervisory Board, shareholders and CEO that he will not seek to renew his contract for personal reasons. He will step down by mutual agreement on August 31, 2026.
The reshuffle also changes several board responsibilities. Schmitt will oversee the Electrified Powertrain Technology division, previously overseen by CEO Mathias Miedreich, as well as the Americas. Miedreich will take over the Chassis Solutions division and group research and development from Dr. Peter Holdmann.
“The Supervisory Board thanks Dr. Peter Holdmann for his commitment and steady leadership in integrating and developing the Chassis Solutions division,” said ZF Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Rolf Breidenbach. “In recent years, ZF has established a leading position in chassis technology, particularly in by-wire braking and steering systems. We respect his decision not to seek another term and thank him for his service.” Breidenbach added: “Sebastian Schmitt knows the Electrified Powertrain Technology division inside out and helped the restructuring produce early results. The priority now is to maintain that progress.”
“Dr. Peter Holdmann has been a committed team player,” said ZF CEO Mathias Miedreich. “On behalf of the Board of Management, I thank him for his collaborative approach and his contribution to ZF’s transformation. I look forward to working with Sebastian Schmitt on the board.”
“Dr. Peter Holdmann served ZF for more than 25 years,” said Friedrichshafen Mayor Simon Blümcke, representing majority shareholder Zeppelin Foundation. “I thank him for his long service and his contribution to the company. I congratulate Sebastian Schmitt on his appointment to the ZF Board of Management.”
Dr. Peter Holdmann said: “By integrating chassis electronics and ZF Race Engineering, we advanced the restructuring of the Chassis Solutions division. ZF’s vehicle-dynamics solutions are gaining recognition and demand worldwide. After more than 26 years at ZF, this milestone makes it the right time for me to begin a new chapter. I thank the highly capable team I have worked with over the years. I am confident it will continue the transformation to Chassis 2.0 with innovation, determination and strong execution.”
Biography: Sebastian Schmitt
Born in Werneck, Germany in 1982, Sebastian Schmitt is an industrial engineer who graduated from TU Ilmenau and has worked at ZF for about two decades. Before taking charge of the Electrified Powertrain Technology division in November 2025, he led its Electrified Powertrain Systems product line. Earlier roles included a posting at ZF’s Saltillo site in Mexico and serving as managing director of the transmission plant in Brandenburg.
Biography: Dr. Peter Holdmann
Dr. Peter Holdmann joined ZF Friedrichshafen AG in early 2000 and held positions of increasing responsibility in passenger-car chassis technology. After ZF acquired TRW, he led the former TRW chassis operations within the ZF group from 2015 to 2018. In late 2023, he was tasked with combining the chassis technology operations, previously organized in two divisions, into the new Chassis Solutions division. He became head of the division and joined the ZF Board of Management on May 1, 2024. Since March 2026, he has also served as Chief Technology Officer, overseeing the group’s technology strategy.