As part of the planned succession announced in conjunction with KLAR Partner’s investment in GMC-Instruments (the “Group”), Dr. Opitz (66) handed over his responsibilities as Group CEO to Joachim Czabanski effective July 1, 2023.

Joachim Czabanski (54) has served in various leadership positions over the past 20 years. Most recently, he served as CEO and CFO of Klaus Faber AG, where he successfully led the transformational growth journey of the company. Prior to that, he held several, international leadership positions at the BARTEC Group, Kromberg & Schubert and at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Engineering and Automation in Stuttgart.

Following his retirement, Dr. Opitz will continue to support the development of the Company as a shareholder and as a member of the newly formed Advisory Board of GMC Instruments’ parent company, which includes Peter van den Broek, former President of Fluke Europe and President of Leica Microsystems, and James Drummond, former CEO of a number of industrial technology and services companies.

“After nearly 30 years of indirect and direct responsibility for the company, the first 12 years with the traditional industrial investor Gebr. Röchling behind, the following 18 years as shareholder and CEO, with a lot of changes during this long period, it is time now to open a new door with fresh wind to fulfill the new needs in the area of safety and usage of electrical energy with a new investor and a new CEO. There are a lot new chances from technologies like data-usage in the broadest sense with digitalization, AI methods and the growing complexity of systems worldwide, which needs to be effectively controlled,Dr. Opitz says. “I wish my successor Joachim Czabanski and the whole team in all companies the very best and always more successful ideas to the advantage of our customers than we and they need. As good as I can, I will support the company with all my experience and ideas, as long as it is helpful.“

I am very pleased to be able to help shape the next chapter in the success story of the group of companies as CEO”, says Joachim Czabanski.”The motivation of our employees, the courage to change and the high-quality standards of our products are the drivers of our success. The trusting cooperation with our investor KLAR Partners supports the stable and future-orientated growth of the group.“