Schaeffler wins former ambassador for newly created Global Affairs

Schaeffler establishes new global affairs division
Dr. Peter Wittig takes over the construction and management of the new area
Hans-Christian Maaß will retire at the end of April

The global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler has awarded diplomat Dr. Peter Wittig won as head of the newly created Global Affairs division. After leaving the Federal Foreign Office this year, Dr. Wittig will join the Schaeffler Group on May 1, 2020. He is based in Berlin.

The top German diplomat can look back on a broad international career. Since joining the Foreign Service in the 1980s, he has been used in conflict regions in Europe, the Middle East and in multilateral diplomacy. From 2009 to 2014, he represented Germany at the United Nations in New York, including two years in the Security Council, the highest body in world politics. He then moved to Washington as an ambassador, where he represented German interests during the Obama and Trump presidencies. Protectionism, trade conflicts and sanctions laws became a focus of work there. In 2018, he was sent to London as an ambassador - as part of Brexit, the most important crisis post in Europe.

"We are very pleased that with Dr. Wittig was able to win an internationally very experienced diplomat for the Schaeffler Group. He will advise and support the Executive Board of Schaeffler AG in adjusting the Schaeffler Group to the emerging changes, ”said Georg F.W. Schaeffler, family shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schaeffler AG.

Klaus Rosenfeld, Chairman of the Board of Management of Schaeffler AG, added: “For us as a global automotive and industrial supplier, the coming years will be very challenging. Understanding political developments and global risks is becoming increasingly important. With Dr. Wittig is an outstanding expert in this field. ”

Dr. In his new role, Peter Wittig reports directly to the CEO, Klaus Rosenfeld. In addition to political communication and association work, the new Global Affairs division will include a newly created “Global Risks” unit, which will be devoted to the analysis of global risks and macroeconomic developments. The third pillar of the area will be the promotion of technology, innovation and research. The technical responsibility for these areas remains with the relevant board areas. The newly created area is responsible for coordinating the activities. All four regions of the Schaeffler Group are included.

Hans-Christian Maaß, the long-time head of the Berlin representative office, will retire on April 30, 2020. He had headed the Berlin office since 2015 as the company's authorized representative. His successor will be announced shortly.

“Mr. Maaß has represented the interests of the Schaeffler Group extremely well in recent years and has made constructive progress in working with decision-makers from politics and associations. We thank Mr. Maaß for his great commitment and wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement, ”said Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG.