German steel federation Wirtschaftsvereinigung (WV) Stahl has appointed Kerstin Maria Rippel its new managing director.
Rippel has many years of experience in the energy industry, Kallanish learns from WV Stahl. The federation recently stated it will split the positions of managing director and president, which so far have been filled jointly by Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, who is retiring at the end of the year. The new president was recently announced as thyssenkrupp Steel chief executive Bernhard Osburg, for a period of two years.
Commenting on her appointment, Rippel highlights her commitment to the technological transition of the German steel industry. “We are working to remain a strong industrial nation with green steel Made-in-Germany as the trademark, and we need to set the sails for that,” she says. In the team with her, Martin Theuringer will remain deputy managing director, as he has been for many years.
Separately, technical organisation VDEh (Iron and Steel Institute) has announced that Henrik Adam of Tata Steel will be its new chairman of the executive board as of 1 January. That position, too, has been held for the last 14 years by Kerkhoff. Earlier this year, Adam transferred from Tata Steel Europe to the Indian parent group as vice president European Corporate Affairs. He is also a member of the executive committee of European steel association Eurofer.
Christian Koehl Germany
