KION Group’s board extends CEO Rob Smith’s contract by five years

The Supervisory Board of KION Group AG has extended Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rob Smith’s contract by five years, ensuring his leadership until December 31, 2029. This decision underscores the Board’s unwavering confidence in Smith’s strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustained value for the shareholders, customers, and employees, KION stated.

“On behalf of the Supervisory Board I am glad that we can continue our trusted relationship with Rob Smith. I am confident that under Rob‘s proven leadership we will open the next chapter of the success story of KION,” said Hans Peter Ring, Chairman of the KION Supervisory Board.

“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for placing trust in me. I look forward to continuing to lead KION Group's path to sustainable and profitable growth,” said Rob Smith. “Together with our team of the Executive Board and our more than 42,000 employees around the world, we want to shape the future of supply chains globally. We will keep delivering on our business priorities and seize the opportunities offered by our markets and technological innovation.”

Before joining KION, Rob Smith was President & CEO of the publicly listed Finnish group Konecranes, a leading international manufacturer of industrial cranes and container port automation. From 2013 to 2019, he was Senior Vice President & General Manager Europe, Africa and Middle East of the global agricultural machinery company AGCO Corporation. Prior to that, he held management positions in automotive supply and capital goods companies in the U.S., France and Germany. Smith holds a BSE in Systems Engineering from Princeton University, an MBA in International Operations & Finance from the University of Texas at Austin – Red McCombs School of Business. He earned his Diplom-Kaufmann and Dr. rer. pol. degrees from the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Koblenz, Germany and wrote his dissertation on Global Supply Chain Performance and Risk Optimisation.

The KION Group is one of the world’s leading providers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions. Dematic, a major supplier of warehouse automation systems and software, is part of KION's supply chain organization. KION's industrial truck brands include Linde Materials Handling and STILL.