With effect from January 2015, Hermann Beck, formerly Executive Vice President of the ZF business unit Off-Highway Systems, will succeed Dr. Franz Kleiner in his position as Senior Executive Vice President of the ZF Division Industrial Technology and site manager of the major location Passau/Thyrnau. In January 2015, Dr. Kleiner is appointed to the Board of Management of the ZF Friedrichshafen AG. He will be responsible for the North American business of ZF Group.
Beck comes from Eriskirch near Friedrichshafen and has been working at ZF for 32 years, and thereof 15 years in Passau. First as head and authorized representative of the business unit Construction Machinery, and later as Executive Vice President of the Off-Highway business.
Until now, he had the global responsibility for ZF’s business with driveline technology and axle systems in the field of construction and agricultural machinery, as well as lift trucks and electric drives with a total sales volume of over 1.1 billion euro.
In this position Beck directed significant production parts in Passau, as well as facilities in the USA, China and India. In addition to these duties, he acquired valuable experience by his membership of different international committees within ZF Group. A decision regarding his successor will be made on a timely basis.
Beck began his career at the central development department in Friedrichshafen. After his activities in the construction and calculation sector, he was appointed team manager for transmission development construction machinery in 1988.
Two years later, he was appointed Head of Development, thus he was responsible for construction, testing and application of construction machinery transmissions. In January 2000, Beck moved to ZF in Passau as Vice President of the business unit construction machinery and with power of procuration.
Since 2006, Dr. Franz Kleiner has been working in various leading positions in the finance area of ZF Group. Starting as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the ZF Lemförder Corporation, he was head of finance and controlling in the business sector car chassis technology in USA and Mexico. In October 2007, he was additionally appointed CFO ZF Group NAO, thus he held overall responsibility for finance, controlling, taxes and information technology in the region North America.
Before that, Dr. Kleiner was Managing Director and Head of Finance, Controlling, Information Technology and Materials Management in the ZF division car chassis technology in Dielingen.
In 2011, Dr. Kleiner moved to Passau succeeding the long-standing Managing and Labor Director of the former ZF Passau GmbH, Manfred Reichenstetter.
