4Executive Group Management

4.1/4.2Members of Executive Group Management/Other activities and vested interests

Executive Group Management is the highest management level and it assists the CEO with his operational management tasks. It deals with all business and decisions that are important for the company. On 31 December 2022, Executive Group Management consisted of the following six members:

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Urs Ryffel Chief Executive Officer (CEO)1967, Swiss citizen

Education and professional background

Dipl. Ing. ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Zurich. 1992 to 1999 Head of the Business Development unit at ABB Power Generation Switzerland, Baden and Head of the Hydro Power Plant Service global business unit at ABB Power Generation segment, Zurich. 1999 to 2002 General Manager for the Hydro Power segment at ABB/ALSTOM, Lisbon and for Hydro Power Plants and Systems in Paris. Joined HUBER+SUHNER in 2002 as Head of Rollers business unit. 2004 to 2007 Head of the Cable System Technology business unit. 2007 to 2016, Head of Fiber Optics Division; since 2008 member of Executive Group Management and since 1 April 2017 Chief Executive Officer.

Other activities and vested interests

Member of the Board of Directors of Bergbahnen Scuol AG, Scuol.

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Reto Bolt Chief Operating Officer (COO) Industry segment1966, Swiss citizen

Education and professional background

Dipl. Ing. ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Zurich. Joined HUBER+SUHNER in 1993 as Operations Engineer for coaxial connectors, then held several management positions in the Operations department of the Radio Frequency Division. 2004 to 2007 Head of Global Management Systems, from 2007 to 2012 Head of the Cable Systems business unit within the Low Frequency Division. 2012 to 2020 Head of Radio Frequency Division and since 2021 COO Industry segment. Member of the Executive Group Management since 2012.

Other activities and vested interests

Member of the Board of Directors of Mosmatic AG and Midas AG, Neckertal (from 1 January 2023).

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Drew Nixon Chief Operating Officer (COO) Transportation segment1965, American citizen

Education and professional background

Bachelor in Business Administration, Babson College, Wellesley Massachusetts, USA. 1988 to 2000 working in various management functions for the American companies Charleswater Products INC, Boston Metal Products Corp, Cerplex Mass INC and Decibel Instruments INC. 2000 to 2004 as Director of Finance and Administration at Zettacom INC, Santa Clara, USA. Joined HUBER+SUHNER in 2004 as Finance Director North America, 2008 to 2012 Managing Director North America, Vermont, 2012 to 2015 Managing Director of the Region North Asia, Shanghai. 2015 to 2020 Chief Operating Officer Global Sales and since 2021 COO Transportation segment.  Member of the Executive Group Management since 2015.

Other activities and vested interests

None

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Patricia Stolz Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)1969, Swiss citizen

Education and professional background

Human Resources Specialist with certificate of competence and EMBA University of Applied Sciences St. Gallen. 1990 to 2003 assistant in Human Resources at NAW Nutzfahrzeuge AG, Arbon. 2003 to 2007 Head of HR Management at Flawa AG, Flawil. Joined HUBER+SUHNER in 2008 as Human Resources Manager of the Fiber Optics Division. Since 2015 Chief Human Resources Officer and member of the Executive Group Management.

Other activities and vested interests

None

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Jürgen Walter Chief Operating Officer (COO) Communication segment 1968, German citizen

Education and professional background

Dipl. Ing. electrical engineering Technical University of Munich. 1995-2000 with Siemens Management Consulting in Munich. 2000 to 2007 various leading positions in the COM division at Siemens AG, Munich. 2007-2009 Head of the Business Unit ‘Converged Core’, as of 2010 Head of the Segment 'Business Solutions' and member of the Executive Board at Nokia Siemens Network, Munich. 2012 to 2015 at Fujitsu Technology Solutions, as of 2013 CEO Central Europe and Chairman of the Management Board, Munich. 2015 to 2019 with Kathrein Group, as of 2017 COO and member of the Executive Board at Kathrein SE, Rosenheim. 2019 to 2021 COO at Kathrein Mobile Communication, Rosenheim. Since October 2021 COO Communication segment and member of the Executive Group Management. 

Other activities and vested interests

None

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Ivo Wechsler Chief Financial Officer (CFO)1969, Swiss citizen

Education and professional background

Lic. oec. HSG (University of St. Gallen). 1995 to 1997 at Schweizerische Bankgesellschaft (UBS) in Corporate Finance in Zurich/London. 1998 to 2000 Controller and from 1999, Head of Controlling & Treasury at Sunrise Communications, Rümlang. 2001 to 2007 Head Corporate Controlling and from 2005 in addition Head Corporate Treasury, Ascom Group, Bern. Joined HUBER+SUHNER in 2008 as Head Corporate Controlling. Since 2010 Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Group Management.

Other activities and vested interests

Member of the Board of Directors of Zehnder Group AG, Gränichen.

4.3Rules in the Articles of Association on the number of permitted activities pursuant to Art. 12 para. 1 point 1 OaEC

As per article 30 of the Articles of Association, a member of Executive Group Management may hold up to 3 posts as a member of the management board or administrative body of other listed legal entities. In addition, a member of Executive Group Management may hold up to 5 posts as a member of the management board or administrative body of non-listed legal entities and up to 5 posts as a member of the management board of foundations and associations. 

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