Personnel changes continue. Skoda Transportation now headed by French manager from Alstom
The aim is to increase Skoda Transportation's market share in competition with the world's largest industrial manufacturers.
Skoda Transportation Group announced its second major change in management in a short time. Petr Brzezina (56), who has led Skoda since 2018 after the takeover by PPF Group, has retired as Chairman of the Board and President. Didier Pfleger (57), a Frenchman who has served in Alstom’s top management for over ten years, was appointed new Chairman of the Board. Simultaneously, Pfleger was appointed the company’s CEO. At the beginning of February, Skoda announced that Zdenek Majer (44), who was one of the long-standing faces of Skoda, retired as a member of the Board of Directors and Senior Vice President for Sales. He was replaced by Mike Niebling (55) with experience from Bombardier.
Skoda Transportation Group CEO Didier Pfleger. Credit: Skoda Transportation
According to a press release, PPF expects the new head of the Skoda Group to “expand geographically and take further steps in the transformation of this company towards a manufacturer of a diversified portfolio of modern transportation systems”. “With the appointment of Didier Pfleger, we are continuing the journey to achieve our goal: to increase Skoda’s market share in competition with the world’s largest industrial manufacturers. I would also like to thank Petr Brzezina for his contribution to stabilizing the company after its takeover by PPF Group,” said Ladislav Bartonicek, shareholder and CEO PPF Group.
Pfleger left his position as Alstom’s Senior Vice-President for Middle East and Africa. “My immediate goals include increasing the company’s profitability, as well as ensuring operational reliability and operational excellence during the period of significant growth Skoda is currently experiencing. My goal is to continue to develop Skoda and build on what shareholders have invested in the company in recent years,” said Pfleger.
These are not the only recent changes in Skoda’s management. Radoslaw Banach, who previously headed Alstom’s production facilities in Poland, has taken over as vice president for production. Skoda Transportation Group also recently appointed Martin Oravec as its new CFO. Oravec previously held the position of CFO of Telenor, a telecommunications operator in Hungary which is also owned by PPF.