MISSISSAUGA, Ont., Nov. 2023 – Festo has appointed Thomas Böck, 52, to succeed Oliver Jung as head of the Management Board of the family-owned global automation-technology leader, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
The Management Board is the senior executive team charged with overseeing the worldwide operations of the company and strategic development.
Böck was most recently CEO and previously Chief Technology Officer of family-owned CLAAS, a leading German-based global manufacturer of high-end agricultural machinery. As former Chairman of the Management Board at CLAAS Group, Böck brings with him a wealth of experience in implementing an international growth strategy in a high-tech environment. In addition, he was notably responsible for the company’s holistic digital transformation, from development to production and sales. “I am very much looking forward to contributing my experience to Festo. Together with the Festo team, we will keep the value-oriented family-owned company on course for success and promote its further development,” said Böck.
The departing Oliver Jung, 61, has been extremely successful at the helm of the family-owned company since Nov. 2018. His track record includes the targeted expansion of Festo’s international footprint along the value chain, especially in North America, China and India. In this way, Mr. Jung greatly improved proximity to the customer as the basis of the future viability of Festo. The Supervisory Board and the owners expressed regret at Mr. Jung’s decision to leave the company. Under his leadership, the financial independence of Festo was further strengthened and its resilience increased. He merits utmost respect for his accomplishments, along with deep gratitude and best wishes for his new chapter in life.
“I am very proud of what we have achieved to date at Festo together with our employees. I wish Mr. Böck all the best for the ongoing development of the company. Personally, I will continue to feel closely connected to the Festo family in the future,” said Jung.
Festo at a glance
Festo, the world’s leading supplier of automation technology and technical education, is deploying its products and services to meet the challenges of digitization and smart production. Founded in 1925, the family-owned company based in Esslingen, Germany supports a wide range of needs for advanced solutions in factory and process automation. In Canada, Festo has been supporting Canadian industry for almost 50 years, continuously elevating the state of manufacturing in this country with innovative products, optimized motion control solutions and unrivalled support. Globally, some 300,000 customers put their trust in the company’s pneumatic- and electric-drive products and technology. In addition, Festo Didactic provides state-of-the-art training equipment and educational programs for industrial companies and educational institutions – about 56,000 customers worldwide. The Festo Group registered sales of €3.81 billion in the 2022 financial year and is represented worldwide at 250 locations with about 20,800 employees. About seven per cent of its annual turnover is invested in research and development.
Advertisement
