Ziehl-Abegg‘s Supervisory Board has announced the appointment of Marco Altherr as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective May. Altherr, a seasoned financial expert with extensive experience in leading industrial companies, is set to play a key role in supporting the company through its current growth phase.
Dennis Ziehl, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, commented, “Marco Altherr brings valuable expertise that will be instrumental as we navigate an important period of expansion. His background in managing international industrial businesses will be a significant asset to Ziehl-Abegg.”
Marco Altherr, born in 1974, has an extensive career in financial management. He holds a degree in business administration and has a long history of leadership in the financial sector. Altherr has been with the Freudenberg Group since 2011, most recently serving as CFO of Freudenberg Performance Materials, where he was responsible for overseeing the financial operations. His past roles at Manroland and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen further enhance his qualifications.
As Ziehl-Abegg continues to expand—investing in new facilities, including a major project in the USA—Dennis Ziehl emphasized the company’s focus on sustainable growth. “To achieve this, we need experienced leaders who can implement long-term strategies with financial insight.” In addition to his traditional CFO duties, Altherr will oversee IT and human resources. He will join the executive team alongside CEO Joachim Ley and CTO Wolfgang Mayer.
Founded in 1910 by Emil Ziehl, Ziehl-Abegg is a global leader in air, control, and drive technology, with products used in heating and cooling systems, cleanrooms, and agricultural facilities. The company pioneered the development of external rotor motors in the 1950s, which remain the industry standard today.
Ziehl-Abegg also develops electric motors for elevators, medical applications like CT scanners, and underwater vehicles. With 2,800 employees in Southern Germany and a global workforce of 5,000, Ziehl-Abegg operates 15 production plants, 30 subsidiaries, and 117 sales locations worldwide. In 2023, the company generated a turnover of €955 million and sold around 30,000 products in over 100 countries. The company remains privately owned and is not publicly traded.
