Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Thales Deutschland will be filled with an external German industrial manager as of 24th November 2020

The Supervisory Board of Thales Germany in its meeting on 24th November 2020 has elected  the former CEO of Airbus Defence & Space and former President of German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) manager, Bernhard Gerwert, 67, as new Chairman of the Supervisory Board, as successor of Philippe Duhamel who continues to serve as member of the Supervisory Board and remains as Thales Group Comex Member operationally in charge of Thales Germany. Gerwert has been in senior positions in German and European aerospace and defense industry for many years, most recently as CEO Airbus Defence & Space from 2012 to 2016, in which capacity he was also Member of the Executive Committee of the Airbus Group. 

As long-standing president of the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) until 2016, Bernhard Gerwert played a key role in shaping the fortunes of one of Germany’s most important high-tech industries.  In spring 2020, Bernhard Gerwert was appointed head of the "Corona Task Force" of the BDLI, in order to guide and lead - together with the corresponding "Corona Task Forces" of the industry associations in France and the UK - the supplier base of aerospace industry safely through the Corona crisis. 

Due to his profound knowledge of these key industries in Germany and Europe, Bernhard Gerwert, as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Thales in Germany, will actively shape the future strategic orientation of the Thales Group in Germany.

 

Change at German management board as of 1st January 2021, personnel additions 

The beginning of the next year will also bring changes in the top management of Thales Germany. Dr. Christoph Hoppe will be leaving the company at his own request at the end of February 2021, after more than five years as CEO & Chairman of the Management Board of Thales Deutschland. 

During his time as CEO Thales Germany since September 2015, he has made a significant contribution to the successful consolidation of the Thales business units in Germany and their sustained profitability. In addition to the general earning power and increased competitiveness, under his aegis, order intake in particular has increased significantly, latest with the billion-€-order for the “MKS180 frigate” for the German Navy in November 2020. 

"Under Christoph Hoppe's leadership we have been able to strategically reorient the broad portfolio of Thales businesses in Germany with great success. We very much regret Christoph Hoppe's personal decision to leave the company end of February 2021," said Patrice Caine after the Supervisory Board meeting.

New CEO & Chairman of the Management Board of Thales Deutschland will be Oliver Dörre, 51, with effect from January 1, 2021. Dörre, who joined Thales in April 2015 from an executive position at Frequentis, was initially responsible for Thales’ Secure Communications and Information Systems (SIX) business unit in Germany. In 2016 he was appointed Vice President Sales & Marketing Thales Germany, responsible for all Thales Sales in the German Defense business and the particularly important Transportation market. With his new appointment, Thales underlines the strategic importance of the German market and its key customers for the entire Thales Group.

In addition, the executive management of Thales Germany will be strategically expanded to include the aerospace sector at the beginning of the year. With effect from January 1, 2021, Dr. Henning Biebinger, 59, Vice President Business Segment Space within the Microwave and Imaging Subsystems (MIS) business line, will become a new member of the Thales Germany management board.