Stabilus Proposes Dr. Frank Heinricht as New Supervisory Board Chairman

The Supervisory Board of Stabilus SE resolved to propose Dr. Frank Heinricht for election to the Supervisory Board at the Annual General Meeting on February 4, 2026. This succession plan addresses the planned departure of Dr. Stephan Kessel, who will not seek re-election after three terms as his term expires at the end of the 2026 Annual General Meeting. The Remuneration and Nomination Committee led by Dr. Ralf-Michael Fuchs conducted a structured selection process to identify suitable candidates before proposing Dr. Heinricht for the position.

The Supervisory Board's decision considered both composition objectives and the overall competence profile and diversity concept. If elected by shareholders, Dr. Heinricht is expected to succeed Dr. Kessel and be elected Chair of the Supervisory Board, subject to the corresponding resolution by the board. This leadership transition comes at a crucial time for Stabilus as the company continues to expand its position in the motion control solutions market.

Dr. Frank Heinricht brings over thirty years of experience within the metal, specialty glass, and electrical industries, having served in various management roles throughout his career. From 2013 to 2024, he held the position of Chair of the Board of Management at Schott AG in Mainz, where he was responsible for the successful initial public offering of Schott Pharma AG in 2023. Prior to that, he was a member of the Management Board of Heraeus Holding GmbH from 2003 to 2013, most recently as Chair of the Management Board for six years. His earlier career included serving as the sole Managing Director of ATMEL Germany GmbH from 1998 to 2002.

Dr. Heinricht's extensive board experience includes serving as Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board of the Wurth Group for approximately 15 years. He also serves as a member of the advisory board of Schwarz Unternehmenstreuhand KG and as a member of the supervisory board of B. Braun SE. His educational background includes a degree and doctorate in physics from the Technical University of Berlin, followed by launching his career at Temic Telefunken microelectronic.

Dr. Stephan Kessel, the current Chair of the Supervisory Board, expressed satisfaction with his tenure, noting that during his time, Stabilus has grown both organically and through strategic acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of Destaco, to become a leading industrial supplier of motion control solutions. He emphasized that these achievements pave the way for continued growth in the future and expressed confidence in Dr. Heinricht's qualifications for the role.

Dr. Ralf-Michael Fuchs added that the succession planning for Dr. Kessel was carefully addressed through a structured selection process. The board is confident that proposing Dr. Heinricht as his successor will provide valuable impetus for Stabilus's further development, thanks to his extensive management experience and broad market and innovation expertise. The invitation to the Annual General Meeting on February 4, 2026 will be published in mid-December 2025, where shareholders will vote on this important leadership transition that could significantly impact the company's strategic direction.