In addition, Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Reinert has been appointed to the Managing Board. As of April 1, 2014, as Board Member for Technical Development, Mr. Reinert will be in charge of developing new product platforms and expanding SMA development facilities worldwide. The Managing Board contract has a term of five years. Employed at SMA since 2011, Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Reinert has served as Executive Vice President and was successful in expanding the global project business of the Power Plant Solutions division. The new product generation of Sunny Central inverters—that will be launched this year—was designed under his leadership.
Chief Sales Officer Marko Werner will not be available for an extension of his contract, which expires on June 10, 2014. The amount of travel required by his board position is not any longer compatible with his family circumstances. Marko Werner will be appointed Executive Vice President of European Sales on June 11, 2014. Pierre-Pascal Urbon, Board Member for Strategy (CEO), will assume responsibility for global sales and service until the board position is filled.
“By strengthening the Managing Board, SMA is underscoring its technological focus and embedding key elements of its corporate strategy on the management level,” said Dr.-Ing. h.c. Günther Cramer, Supervisory Board Chairman of SMA Solar Technology AG. “The global photovoltaic market is undergoing major structural changes. Therefore, technology development is the key to achieving a global energy transition as well as for the required cost reduction. Only with innovative system technology will we be able to decentralise the supply structures in the energy industry. As an innovation leader, SMA can take a pioneering role in this regard and serve as a specialist for system technology in the world’s growing photovoltaic market. With Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Reinert, next to Roland Grebe we have appointed to the Managing Board another outstanding development expert with long-standing international experience. I’m convinced that this was the right decision for expanding the technology leadership of SMA in the long term,” added Dr.-Ing. h.c. Günther Cramer.
“The decision made by Mr. Werner deserves our respect,” said Günther Cramer,” and we are more than happy that he will continue to serve SMA as an excellent sales specialist. The massive changes taking place in the European photovoltaic market demand our full attention. Thanks to his long-standing experience and excellent customer contacts, Mr. Werner will play an important role in regaining market share in Europe,” explained Mr. Cramer.
Effective June 11, 2014, the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG will consist of the following members: Roland Grebe (Board Member for Technical Innovation), Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Reinert (Board Member for Technical Development), Lydia Sommer (Board Member for Finance and HR/CFO), Pierre-Pascal Urbon (Board Member for Strategy/CEO).