Schaeffler AG has announced the appointment of Celia Pelaz as CEO of its newly established subsidiary STech Defence GmbH, effective October 1, 2026. Pelaz, who brings over 25 years of international experience in the defence and space industry, will lead the company's 'Defence & New Space' growth field, which is of overarching strategic importance to the Schaeffler Group.
STech Defence GmbH was founded as an independent legal entity at the end of 2025, based in Munich, to focus on the defence and New Space sectors. The subsidiary positions itself as a preferred partner to the defence and space industries in Germany and Europe, leveraging Schaeffler's broad capabilities in product development, manufacturing, and industrialization.
Celia Pelaz most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Management Board at Spire Global, Inc., a leading global provider of satellite data and analytics. Prior to that, she held senior roles at Hensoldt AG, including Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer, and earlier in her career spent over a decade at Airbus Defence & Space, where she oversaw the carve-out of defence electronics activities that became Hensoldt.
Manfred Homm serves as CTO of STech Defence GmbH, while Dr. Christopher Koth is interim CFO. Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG, expressed enthusiasm about the appointment, stating, 'With her experience, expertise and leadership strength, she will make an important contribution to expanding Schaeffler Group’s defence and space business.'
Schaeffler AG aims to achieve a ten percent share of revenue in new growth areas outside its core business by 2035, including humanoid robotics, defence, and New Space. The appointment of Pelaz signals the company's commitment to these strategic areas.
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