ZF Friedrichshafen Appoints Mathias Miedreich as New CEO

German automotive technology giant ZF Friedrichshafen AG announced significant changes to its Board of Management on Wednesday, with current CEO Dr. Holger Klein stepping down by mutual agreement with the company's Supervisory Board.

Mathias Miedreich, who joined ZF's Board of Management in January 2025 as head of the Electrified Powertrain Technology division, will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Management. The leadership transition takes effect September 30, 2025.

The company also announced the departure of Prof. Dr. Peter Laier, who served as Board Member responsible for Commercial Vehicle Solutions, Industrial Technology, Materials Management, Production and the India Region. According to the company statement, Laier's departure stems from "differing views on the future strategic direction of the company."

Dr. Rolf Breidenbach, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, praised Klein's contributions during his tenure, which began on January 1, 2023. "With his strategy, he laid the foundations for ZF's turnaround and has already achieved significant success with the entire team," Breidenbach stated.

Klein, who held various management positions at ZF since 2014, expressed confidence in the company's direction. "Together with the Executive Board team and all ZF employees, we've already made great progress in turning ZF around," he said, citing the success of the company's "Strengthening our Strengths" strategy.

The outgoing CEO emphasized the importance of swift implementation moving forward, stating that "ZF can't afford to waste any more time" in executing its restructuring plans.

Miedreich brings industry experience to the role, including previous CEO experience, according to the company. Breidenbach highlighted his "combination of decisiveness and communication skills" and noted his contributions to restructuring Division E since joining the Board.

ZF indicated it will announce succession plans for the Electrified Powertrain Technology division and the Commercial Vehicle Solutions and Industrial Technology divisions at a later date.

The Friedrichshafen-based company, which employs approximately 161,600 people worldwide, reported sales of €41.4 billion in fiscal 2024. ZF operates 161 production locations across 30 countries, supplying mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial applications.