Kremsmünster – Axel Kühner took over the vacant position of the Managing Director of Greiner Bio-One GmbH on an interim basis at the end of August in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer of Greiner Bio-One International AG. He has now established a successor. “Following three months of intensive discussions I have now decided on a completely new management solution for Greiner Bio-One. We possess very good management personalities within our Group. This is why I decided on a succession from our own ranks. All the Management Board members are bringing in the competence and experience essential for leading this company into a continued successful future”, Axel Kühner said.

A management board with a single voice

The new Management Board is comprised of four key area specialists: Rainer Perneker, production and technique, Manfred Buchberger, business unit Preanalytics, Heinz Schmid, business unit BioScience, and Georg Heftberger, finance. Rainer Perneker will be spokesperson of the Management Board. The new management team will direct the operative business under the two Chairmen of Greiner Bio-One International AG, Axel Kühner (CEO) and Hannes Moser (CFO) from January 1st 2012.

Subsidiaries to stay independent

The two subsidiary companies Greiner Bio-One GmbH Austria and Greiner Bio-One GmbH Germany will remain independent units. In the management of both of these companies Rainer Perneker will be responsible for production and Georg Heftberger for finance. The management spokesperson will be Manfred Buchberger for Austria and Heinz Schmid for Germany.

Personalities with great experience and competence

Rainer Perneker (42) began his career with C.A. Greiner & Söhne KG in 1984. In addition to building up the technical development for Labortechnik, his experience also includes the planning and development of the production locations in the USA and Brazil.

Manfred Buchberger (53) has been active in Greiner Bio-One GmbH sales in Kremsmünster since 1990. He is Sales Director for Preanalytics and in the management for France, Switzerland and China.

Heinz Schmid (52) began as Assistant to the Sales Director at C.A. Greiner & Söhne GmbH in Nürtingen (Germany) in 1978. He was Sales Director and Commercial Director until his promotion to CEO of Greiner Bio-One GmbH Frickenhausen in 2006.

Georg Heftberger (33) was Assistant to the Greiner Holding AG Board of Directors in 2009 and was then responsible for corporate strategy and corporate development.