Former Porsche CEO Dr. Michael Macht will succeed Professor Heinz K. Junker as Chairman effective January 1, 2026, following Junker's decade-long tenure and planned departure.
25 Sep 2025 | 3480 Views | By Sarthak Mahajan
MAHLE's Supervisory Board has elected Dr. Michael Macht as its new Chairman, effective January 1, 2026. The appointment comes as Professor Dr.-Ing. Heinz K. Junker steps down after serving as Chairman for 10 years and concludes his nearly three-decade association with the automotive technology group.
The leadership transition was ...
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MAHLE's Supervisory Board has elected Dr. Michael Macht as its new Chairman, effective January 1, 2026. The appointment comes as Professor Dr.-Ing. Heinz K. Junker steps down after serving as Chairman for 10 years and concludes his nearly three-decade association with the automotive technology group.
The leadership transition was announced following the Supervisory Board meeting on September 25, 2025. Macht, who has served as a MAHLE Supervisory Board member since 2020, brings extensive automotive industry experience from his previous roles as CEO of Porsche AG and Board Member of Volkswagen AG.
Professor Junker, who joined MAHLE in 1996 as a Management Board member and became CEO six months later, led the company's transformation into a global technology group. During his tenure as CEO until 2015, MAHLE's sales increased more than eightfold to €11.5 billion, driven by product portfolio expansion and strategic acquisitions, including the significant takeover of the Behr Group.
"Following the successful reorganization, I see the group well-positioned for the future with its strategy MAHLE 2030+ and a clearly defined product portfolio," Junker stated regarding his departure.
Dr. Macht, a mechanical engineer and Stuttgart native, began his automotive career with Porsche in 1991, progressing through various positions before joining Porsche's Board of Management in 1998 and becoming CEO in 2009. He subsequently served on Volkswagen AG's Board of Management from 2009 to 2014.
The incoming Chairman has undergone a planned succession process under Junker's guidance over recent months. MAHLE CEO Arnd Franz praised Junker's "extraordinary passion and dedication" in shaping the company over three decades, particularly in guiding the recent transformation.
Under Junker's leadership, MAHLE developed its current strategy focused on electrification, thermal management, and sustainable internal combustion engines. The Thermal and Fluid Systems Business Unit, strengthened through the Behr acquisition, now represents over 50 percent of consolidated sales.
The leadership change occurs as MAHLE continues implementing its MAHLE 2030+ strategy amid ongoing industry transformation toward electrification and sustainability.