The drive specialist Zeppelin has found a successor for outgoing CEO Peter Gerstmann in Matthias Benz.
The Zeppelin Group announced today that Matthias Benz, currently Managing Director of Raufoss Technology, a CAG Holding company, will become a member of the Management Board on 1 July 2024.
On 1 October 2024, he will succeed Peter Gerstmann as Chairman of the Management Board. “We are delighted to have Matthias Benz as Peter Gerstmann’s successor,” emphasized Andreas Brand, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Zeppelin GmbH, Lord Mayor of the City of Friedrichshafen and representative of the shareholder Zeppelin Foundation. He brings with him many years of national and international management experience and faces entrepreneurial challenges in a strategic, focused and decisive manner.
Peter Gerstmann (62) has been CEO of the Zeppelin Group since 2010 and has worked for the company for 24 years. He informed the Supervisory Board at an early stage that he would not be available for a further appointment and would like to hand over responsibility after 15 years as CEO of the Zeppelin Group, according to the statement.
Zeppelin grows under Gerstmann
“Peter Gerstmann is handing over an excellently positioned, committed and motivated team to me,” said Benz, who has already worked for the ZF Group in the past. There he held various management positions at national and international locations. Among other things, he was Chief Financial Officer at ZF North American Operations, Managing Director of ZF Services in Schweinfurt, Member of the Board of Management of ZF Marine in Padova and finally, as Executive Vice President Sales & Customer Development at ZF in Friedrichshafen, a member of the first management level below the ZF Board of Management. Since 2020, Benz has been Managing Director of Neuman Aluminum/Raufoss Technology and a member of the top management level of CAG Holding. Neuman Aluminium/Raufoss is a manufacturer of aluminium components for automotive and industrial applications.
The Zeppelin Group offers solutions in the areas of construction, drive and energy as well as engineering and plant construction. The “Power Systems” segment comprises Caterpillar engines of the Cat, MaK and EMD brands. In addition to gensets for power generation, drive solutions based on diesel, gas and dual-fuel engines, propellers, complete drive systems and suitable systems are offered, which are also used in maritime and inland waterway shipping.
Peter Gerstmann initially took over the management of Zeppelin Systems in 2002. From 2007, he was also Managing Director for Controlling at Zeppelin GmbH – until he was appointed Chairman of the Management Board in 2010. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Brand, emphasized: “It is still too early to say goodbye, but we owe Peter Gerstmann a great debt of gratitude. During his time, the Zeppelin Group has developed enormously and, above all, successfully in both the industrial and commercial sectors.” He has increased the value of the company “in an impressive manner”. Group revenue rose from around €2 billion in 2010 to €3.8 billion in 2022.
