Company Management

Management Teams Viessmann Group

Personal responsibility is one of our management principles at Viessmann. We expect our managers to lead by example. Our purpose is to create living spaces for generations to come.

Professor Dr. Martin Viessmann

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Professor Dr. Martin Viessmann joined his father's company in 1979. He became a member of the management board in 1984 and commercial director in 1989. At the turn of the year 1991/92 he succeeded his father, Dr. Hans Viessmann, in the 3rd generation. Professor Dr. Martin Viessmann developed the company into a leading international manufacturer of climate and energy solutions. Since his son Maximilian took over the operational business in 2018, Professor Dr. Martin Viessmann has held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Executive Members of the Board of Directors

Operationally, the Family Holding is managed by the Executive Board. Maximilian Viessmann is represented on the Board as a member of the owner family. Chief Financial Officer Dr. Ulrich Hüllmann and Chief People Officer Frauke von Polier complete the management team.

Maximilian Viessmann

CEO Viessmann Group

In 2018, Professor Martin Viessmann’s son Maximilian took over the management of the company as Co-CEO, together with Joachim Janssen. The industrial engineer and management consultant has been active in the company since 2015. Both privately and professionally, he feels fulfilled by making a contribution for generations to come. In addition to the digital and cultural transformation of the Group, Max Viessmann is driving forward the further development of the heating and climate business. Through the values “responsible”, “team-oriented”, and “entrepreneurial”, the family-owned company expresses how it puts people front and center and continually invests in the development and the diversity of 14500 members of the large Viessmann family.

Dr. Ulrich Hüllmann

Chief Financial Officer

Since joining the company in 2015, the doctor of business administration has been CFO of the Viessmann Group. Prior to this, he worked for GEA Farm Technologies for nine and a half years, most recently as CEO. His motto: “It’s all about people.” Ulrich was born in 1968, is married, and has three children. Playing sports with friends is very important to him.

Frauke von Polier

Chief People Officer

Since 2022, Frauke has taken on the role of Group CPO in addition to her Executive Board role in Climate Solutions and, together with Max, drives all activities related to talent development, leadership and organization across the Group. She has been a strong advocate for dynamic HR processes at industry leaders such as SAP and Zalando – and is passionately committed to startup founders from the HR tech sector. In life as in her job, she is guided by the motto that "success and failure are the same thing if your life is about who you are becoming". This is exactly the culture she wants to establish at the group level as well. She loves to spend her free time with family and friends.

Non-Executive Members of the Board of Directors

The entrepreneurial personalities in the Board of Directors actively support the Executive Board with advice and ideas, oversee its work, and ensure high standards of corporate governance and corporate responsibility.

The Board of Directors consists of the following non-executive members:

Prof. Dr. Thomas Rödder (Deputy Chairman)
Madeleine Jahr
Dr. Albert Christmann
Dr. Dieter Heuskel

Climate Solutions

Our climate solutions let us create living spaces of the very highest quality. These not only ensure optimum indoor temperature, hot water, energy, and good air quality but also the best possible level of comfort. Our solutions are as efficient as they are sustainable. This is how we set the standards in heating and climate technology. This business area is the responsibility of the members of our Executive Board Climate Solutions.

More about Viessmann Climate Solutions >

Thomas Heim
Chief Executive Officer
Thomas Heim is CEO of the Climate Solutions business unit since July 2022. As CSO Thomas became a member of the large Viessmann family in 2017 and has since then been responsible for sales, marketing, and service in the Climate Solutions business area. A guiding principle that inspires him comes from Nelson Mandela: “I never lose. I either win or learn.” In his personal interpretation, he always translates the “I” to the “we” of his team, since a team focus is a fundamental value for him. Thomas was born in 1968 and loves mountaineering and skiing.

Dr. Markus Klausner
Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Markus Klausner has been CTO since July 2019. Prior to this, he was CTO for Viessmann Heizsysteme for more than three years. After completing his doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, he started his career in 1998 as a development engineer for Robert Bosch Corp. (USA). Before joining Viessmann, Markus was head of development for electric and hybrid vehicle drive systems at Bosch. He was born in 1973 in Chemnitz and was a competitive swimmer in his youth. He likes cycling and jogs regularly.

The image shows Vanessa Hellwing. — Vanessa Hellwing
Chief Financial Officer
Vanessa Hellwing joined Viessmann as CFO of the Climate Solutions business area in October 2022. She has more than 20 years of experience in controlling and finance at global industrial companies, the majority of which in board and management positions. Vanessa loves nature and is committed to animal welfare.

The image shows Dr. Karsten Hoppe. — Dr. Karsten Hoppe
Chief Sales Officer
Dr. Karsten Hoppe has been managing the sales, service and marketing activities of the Climate Solutions business unit since October 2022. He holds a PhD in business administration and a diploma in industrial engineering and has decades of sales, service and marketing experience, both on the boards of international construction and industrial companies and as a consultant. Karsten has a passion for sports - especially skiing, fitness, golf and handball.

Refrigeration Solutions

With our comprehensive range of refrigeration systems, we offer intelligent solutions for commercial users. Viessmann Refrigeration Solutions set themselves apart through sophisticated technology, a high level of energy efficiency, above-average hygiene properties, and excellent user convenience. This business area is the responsibility of the members of our Executive Board Refrigeration Solutions.

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Frank Winters
Chief Executive Officer
Frank Winters has been head of the Refrigeration Solutions business area since October 2017. He gained many years of experience in refrigeration technology at Carrier, most recently as General Manager Northern Europe. His motto: “Life is full of surprises, but there are no guarantees.” Frank was born in the Netherlands in 1970, is married, and has three sons. In his free time he likes playing soccer. He enjoys skiing and snowboarding, and spending time with his family.

Michael Luz
Chief Financial Officer
Michael Luz has been part of the Viessmann family since 2004. After holding various positions, including Managing Director of Viessmann Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung GmbH, the graduate in business administration (MBA) and engineering (BA) took over the role of CFO for the Refrigeration Solutions business area at the beginning of 2017. Michael was born in 1977 and lives with his family near Munich. He enjoys spending his free time with his family in the mountains.

Joachim Schlichtig
Chief Technology Officer
Joachim Schlichtig joined the Viessmann Group in 2010 and gained a lot of experience abroad, most recently as Managing Director of our plant in Porvoo, Finland. He has been CTO in the Refrigeration Solutions business area since July 2020. Joachim, born in 1963, loves classical music and sings as a tenor in a German-Finnish church choir in Helsinki. He is married and has two children.

Udo Laeis
Chief Sales Officer
Udo Laeis has been CSO in the Refrigeration Solutions business area since July 2020, where he is responsible for all sales, distribution, and service organizations. He has more than 25 years of experience in refrigeration technology. Udo was born in 1967. Most of all he likes spending his free time with his family outdoors. He is a passionate skier. His motto: “Think positively and enjoy what you do.”

Viessmann Investment

To prepare for the future with its changing global environment, we are tapping further growth potential through targeted acquisitions. We offer the opportunity to interested entrepreneurs, to branch into new regions and markets with us. The Viessmann Investment business area considers itself as a "company for entrepreneurs". In concrete terms, this means the sustainable, partnership-based further development of portfolio companies with considerable entrepreneurial freedom. This business area is the responsibility of the Viessmann Investment Board.

More about Viessmann Investment >

Timo Tauber
Managing Director
As Managing Director, Timo is responsible for the Investment business area and the M&A activities of the Viessmann Group. Before joining Viessmann in 2016, Timo gained many years of transaction experience in the technology sector, working for, among others, a private equity fund and as a lecturer at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Timo was born in 1980 and tries to improve his performance on his racing bike all year round.

VC/O

Digitalization creates new challenges for us that we boldly take up. With our digital unit VC/O, we not only monitor developments but actively shape them and secure potential for the future. We invest in start-ups and new business models. The diversification business unit VC/O is managed by a two-person management board.

More about VC/O >

Prof. Dr. Markus Pfuhl
Managing Director
Professor Dr. Markus Pfuhl has been a member of the Viessmann family since 2003, where he worked in IT and corporate development. In the role of Chief Digital Officer from 2017 to 2020, he was responsible for the digital transformation of the company. Markus was born in 1973 and enjoys making music in his free time. Since 2020, he has been Chief Representative in the Family Holding, alongside his work in VC/O.

Tobias Rappers
Managing Director
Graduate in business administration (MSc) Tobias Rappers, who previously worked for seven years as a management consultant in the digital sector at Roland Berger and as Managing Director of the innovation hub “Spielfeld” of Roland Berger and Visa Inc., has been Managing Director of Maschinenraum and VC/O, the innovation ecosystem of the Viessmann Group, since August 2019. Tobias, born in 1986, is an enthusiastic skier and kite surfer.

Viessmann Real Estate

Viessmann Real Estate manages our properties as well as our hotels and restaurants. We operate four hotel and restaurant businesses close to our company headquarters in Allendorf/Eder, which are available to our customers, partners, employees, and guests from the region. The diversification business unit Viessmann Real Estate is managed by a two-member management board.

More about Viessmann Real Estate >

Klaus Kümmel
Managing Director
University-qualified engineer (Diplom-Ingenieur) Klaus Kümmel has been a member of the Viessmann family since 1992. He started as a project manager in the Construction department, which he later headed for many years. He has been Managing Director of Viessmann Real Estate since January 2020. The passionate skier and motorcyclist was born in Dortmund in 1959. Most of all he likes to spend his free time with his family and friends.

Jörg Lenz
Managing Director
Jörg Lenz has been a member of the Viessmann family since 1979 and is an authorized signatory and Managing Director of many companies of the Viessmann Group. In addition, he has been teaching courses in balance sheet accounting at the Volkshochschule Waldeck-Frankenberg adult education center for more than 30 years. He is also head of the family office, tax, and other real estate activities at the holding company level. Jörg is married and has two children and three grandchildren.

The image shows Kai Efing. — Kai Efing
Managing Director
Kai Efing joined Viessmann Real Estate as Managing Director in 2020. He previously worked, among others, for an international real estate consultant and in a German single family office, where he built up the real estate division. Kai was born in 1985 and lives with his family in Düsseldorf. In his free time, Kai enjoys playing golf or cooking for friends and family.

Foundation activities

Viessmann Foundations activities

Creating living spaces for generations to come – the purpose of the Viessmann Group is also groundbreaking for the social commitment of the family business. For us as a family-owned company, social commitment and entrepreneurial action have been inseparably linked since the company was founded. This applies to the Viessmann Foundation, which is clearly focused on the Viessmann Purpose, as well as to the Viessmann Allendorf Foundation, the Hans Vießmann Technologie Foundation and the Dr. Hans Vießmann Foundation.

More about our foundation activities >