Simon Blümcke joins the ZF Supervisory Board

Simon Blümcke, 50, is taking over the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Zeppelin Foundation on the capital side with immediate effect. For the time being, he has been elected until the end of the current Supervisory Board term of office in March 2028. The Zeppelin Foundation is administered in trust by the City of Friedrichshafen; it is the main shareholder of ZF Friedrichshafen AG with 93.8 percent. 6.2 percent of the shares are held by the Ulderup Foundation, which is also represented on the ZF Supervisory Board.

“We warmly welcome Simon Blümcke to our Board and look forward to working with him,” said Dr. Heinrich Hiesinger, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. “The seamless transition at the main shareholder ensures continuity and stability in these challenging times. We would like to sincerely thank Andreas Brand for his many years of commitment to the ZF Supervisory Board and its Executive Committee. He has accompanied and supported the company in a phase of profound change, with decisive acquisitions for its future viability in rapidly changing global markets. We wish him all the best for his new phase of life.” For more than a decade and a half, Brand had been a member of the Supervisory Board since July 2009.

“I’m looking forward to working with the members of the Supervisory Board and Board of Management,” said Simon Blümcke. “Together, we will work to further develop ZF and position it strategically and structurally for the future.”

Simon Blümcke was elected mayor of Friedrichshafen in the first round of voting on September 29, 2024. He took office on December 1, 2024.

In addition to the change on the capital side, at the turn of the year there will also be a change on the employee side of the ZF Supervisory Board. Roman Zitzelsberger, District Manager of IG Metall Baden-Württemberg until March 31 of this year, and Deputy Chairman of the ZF Supervisory Board, will step down from his position. He will be succeeded by the current head of the Baden-Württemberg IG Metall district, Barbara Resch. The process for her formal appointment has already been initiated, ensuring a seamless transition as soon as the necessary resolutions for the replacement have been passed.

“The constructive cooperation between the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and his deputy is crucial for solving the many challenges and issues,” said Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Heinrich Hiesinger. “It was characterized by trust, mutual appreciation and the shared responsibility to find solutions for the company. I would like to thank Mr. Zitzelsberger most sincerely for this.”