Rolf Najork, 53, will take the position of chairman of the executive board and the responsibility for development at Bosch Rexroth effective February 1st. His predecessor Dr. Karl Tragl, 53, will simultaneously leave the company and follow a new direction.

Najork is currently a managing director of Heraeus Holding GmbH with responsibility for production, purchasing, and development. He held various technical management positions at Ford and Getrag after completing his mechanical engineering studies at RWTH Aachen. As an executive management member in automotive he was responsible for the E-mobility, Mechatronics, and R&D transmission divisions within the Schaeffler group.

Dr. Tragl leaves Bosch Rexroth after the expiration of his contract on January 31, 2016. He has been an executive board member since 2008. Tragl joined the company in 2000 and was responsible for the global service in the market segment Factory Automation. In 2003, Tragl joined executive management and became the chairman of the business unit Electric Drives and Controls of Bosch Rexroth AG in 2004.

“We thank Mr. Tragl for his high level of commitment in various positions at Bosch Rexroth. He greatly contributed to the establishment of Industry 4.0 in the business, to the preparation of emerging markets like Africa, and to the successful implementation of major projects. Over the past years, Tragl furthermore aligned the company toward its core business and introduced the necessary measures. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors”, says chairman of the supervisory board Dr. Werner Struth. “With Mr. Najork, we are simultaneously gaining a highly qualified executive with proven expertise for our industrial division.”