Ulrich Schumacher - New Zumtobel CEO

Listed light producer Zumtobel sees changes in personnel of its managing board. The reason is different opinions about the operative realization of corporate strategy, according to an ac-hoc press release by the company. As with September 30, CEO Harald Sommerer and CFO Mathias Dähn will leave the company. According to the press release, Ulrich Schumacher will become chairman of the managing board and interim CFO. Before the official announcements of the resignation of both Sommerer and Dähn, there were “different opinions about the operative realization of global growth strategies in the important phase of changes in technology to LED” between the CEO and the managing board.

Schumacher is, according to Zumtobel, an expert in technology who can look back on extraordinary corporate successes. Under his lead the Austrian lighting producer will focus on long-term success factors again – the strong technological orientation on the one hand and pioneering esthetical competence in design and architecture on the other hand.

Schumacher’s mandate expires on April 31, 2017. In the coming months a CFO is supposed to be found. From 2007 to 2011 he restructured Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation as CEO, a partly state-owned company located in Shanghai. Since 2011 he holds some mandates in boards of directors and advises technology corporations.