- Effective October 1, Christian Levin (54) takes on changed new role which merges his current role as President and CEO of Scania with the role as CEO of TRATON SE
- Annette Danielski (56) becomes CFO of TRATON SE effective October 1
- Current Board members Matthias Gründler (56) and Christian Schulz (44) will leave the company at the end of September 2021
Munich, September 29, 2021 – The Supervisory Board of TRATON SE today decided a twofold change of Executive Board at TRATON. CEO Matthias Gründler and CFO Christian Schulz will leave the company before the end of their contract on September 30, 2021. At the same time, the successors were appointed: The current President and CEO of Scania, Christian Levin, will also head TRATON SE as the new CEO from October 1, 2021. Annette Danielski, currently Head of Corporate Finance at TRATON SE, will become the new CFO as of October 1, 2021.
Hans Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the TRATON Supervisory Board, on the changes: “I would like to expressly thank Matthias Gründler and Christian Schulz on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board for the work they have done and the mutual successes achieved. Both of them pushed the implementation of the Global Champion Strategy massively and thus achieved major milestones for the TRATON GROUP in a short time. I see Christian Levin as a strong leader to execute on the next chapter for the group, he has my full support to lead the journey towards stronger profitability and growth. Christian Levin and Annette Danielski will consequently implement the jointly developed new TRATON strategy."
Christian Levin began his career in 1994 as a management trainee at Scania and has held several management positions at Scania since then. Levin has extensive international work experience and holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Before he became Scania CEO in February 2021, he was Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the TRATON GROUP for two years and prior to that he was Executive Vice President and Head of Sales & Marketing at Scania.
“I am honored to take on the role as CEO of the TRATON SE while continuing on as CEO of Scania. Looking ahead focus will be on transforming business into new technology areas and geographies, whilst leveraging further synergies through modularization and scalability. The evolution of the group continues and builds on the TRATON strategy which the current management team established and which is now pushed into a different gear. The strategy includes a stronger focus on sustainability not the least through e-mobility, digitalization and connectivity; continued integration of Navistar and growth in the North American market, as well as continued investments in China over the next few years. This change will comprise of several steps over time and by the end of the year a fuller plan will be presented.” says Christian Levin, incoming CEO of TRATON SE and President and CEO of Scania.
Annette Danielski studied business administration and has more than 30 years of international experience in the areas of finance and controlling. Danielski worked at Daimler AG from 1988 to 2017, most recently in various management positions. Danielski was Head of Group Controlling at Audi AG from 2017 to 2018. Since October 2018 she has headed the Group finance department at TRATON SE.
“One of my first tasks as CFO will now be the full integration of Navistar and to continue the great work Christian Schulz started. The team here at TRATON is capable of high performance and I am very confident that we will succeed in leading TRATON to the next level. The TRATON GROUP has the potential to transform transportation while placing people, planet and performance at the center of everything we do,” Danielski stated.
Under Matthias Gründler, TRATON became a globally oriented group through the Navistar transaction. Christian Schulz played the central role in the company's IPO in 2019. Other successes of Gründler and Schulz include the initiation of the planned charging joint venture with Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group and the partnership with TuSimple. In addition, Gründler and Schulz, together with their management team, have developed a new TRATON strategy in which the focus is on sustainable business and growth, the further creation of company value – e.g. through a significantly higher corporate commitment in China – and the expansion of innovative business models. This laid the foundation stone for the further direction of the company.
“We were able to implement the Global Champion Strategy faster than expected. This means that TRATON is now on stable footing internationally. The task now is to lead TRATON into a sustainable future beyond conventional business models and ways of thinking. With Christian Levin at the helm, the TRATON GROUP can now benefit even more from its lead brand Scania. Christian Levin is exactly the right person for this task and I wish him and the entire TRATON team every success." said Matthias Gründler, CEO of the TRATON GROUP.
Christian Schulz, CFO of the TRATON GROUP, added: “I am very happy that we have come so far with our teams in the last few months and that we have been able to conclude the Global Champion Strategy. With Annette Danielski, TRATON is getting a highly competent and internationally very experienced CFO, who was also actively involved in the IPO in my core team. I would like to thank the entire TRATON team and wish them all the best for the next strategic milestones."
Contact:
Matthias Karpstein
Business Media Relations
T +49 172 3603071
matthias.karpstein@traton.com
TRATON SE
Dachauer Str. 641 / 80995 Munich / Germany
www.traton.com
About the TRATON GROUP
With its brands Scania, MAN, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus, Navistar, and RIO, TRATON SE is one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. Its range comprises light-duty commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses, at 29 production and assembly sites in 17 countries. The Group aims to reinvent transportation — with its products, its services, and as a partner to its customers. For TRATON, sustainable economic growth always includes treating people and nature with respect. The People, Planet, and Performance triad will shape the future of our Company.