Th. Schulze
ZF Friedrichshafen, which grew from its beginnings as a "gear factory" and the Zeppelin Foundation with systems for cars, commercial vehicles and industry into a globally operating technology group, has appointed Thomas Schulze to its supervisory board.
Schulze (62), also Chairman of the Board of the Ulderup Foundation, succeeds Joachim Meinecke, the late long-time representative of the second ZF shareholder (along with the Zeppelin Foundation) on the Supervisory Board. ZF reports that this completes the 20-member supervisory board. Schulze, 62, will assume his position on the Supervisory Board with immediate effect and is elected until the end of the current term in March 2028.
Schulze, a graduate economist and PhD in economics from Osnabrück, has led the Ulderup Foundation since 2018. From 2005 to 2018, he served as the directly elected, full-time mayor of Diepholz, a ZF production site. Prior to that, he was a district councilor in the Diepholz district for several years. "I am looking forward to my new role as a member of the ZF Supervisory Board, where I will contribute to the company's further development and position it for the future," said Schulze.
“The two foundations, as shareholders, are a guarantor of stability at ZF amidst all the changes and challenges,” said Andreas Brand, Mayor of Friedrichshafen, representing the Zeppelin Foundation. “We thank Thomas Schulze for his willingness to support the company during a time of profound change.”
“We are convinced,” says Supervisory Board Chairman Heinrich Hiesinger, “that his experience will help us to successfully master the mobility transformation and create the necessary structures.”
The Zeppelin Foundation is the main shareholder of ZF Friedrichshafen AG with 93.8 percent of the shares and is represented on the supervisory board by Andreas Brand, Mayor of Friedrichshafen and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zeppelin Foundation. The Ulderup Foundation holds 6.2 percent of the shares.
