PALFINGER: Supervisory Board Appoints Maria Koller to the Executive Board as CHRO

12.10.2023

The former Executive Vice President Global HR at Jenoptik will take over HR and Legal Affairs on the PALFINGER AG Executive Board on January 8, 2024. As a result, Maria Koller will be largely responsible for the focus and positioning of the company in an increasingly demanding job market.

“Following many years of experience, Maria Koller knows how important well-trained employees are to a technology company. With her expertise, we are strengthening PALFINGER’s position as an attractive and future-oriented employer,” says Hubert Palfinger, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at PALFINGER AG. In a job market that is becoming increasingly demanding and competitive due to demographic change and digitalization, it is important to address potential employees very effectively while successfully retaining experts in the company. “Maria Koller is the ideal candidate for this task, based on experience gained in HR matters at Alcatel in Austria, Danaher in Great Britain and Germany, at Magna Europe and since 2017 in a central position at the listed technology group Jenoptik,” explains Palfinger. Among other things, Maria Koller will focus on employee development, training and further education, as well as change management. By joining PALFINGER’s executive board as CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer), Maria Koller, in close cooperation with CEO Andreas Klauser, CFO Felix Strohbichler and COO Alexander Susanek, will drive forward the company's positioning as a future-oriented, attractive employer and contribute significantly to the implementation of Strategy 2030.

Maria Koller (51) studied business psychology at the University of Vienna and began her professional career as an HR expert at Alcatel in 1998. Following jobs in Austria, Germany and France and at various companies in the Danaher Group Europe, she worked from 2014 as Vice President HR Global Interiors at automotive supplier Magna. From 2017, Maria Koller was responsible for the entire HR department of the globally active high-tech group Jenoptik.

“Our employees, their knowledge, skills and commitment are essential for PALFINGER’s success. With Maria Koller, who takes over the HR and Legal Affairs agendas on the executive board, we are underlining the central importance of HR for the company,” emphasizes Hubert Palfinger. “Gaining this expertise and experience for PALFINGER is a great advantage for the supervisory board and the company. I am pleased to welcome her as the new CHRO to the executive board of PALFINGER AG,” says Palfinger.

Image: Maria Koller, CHRO PALFINGER AG ©Jenoptik

To the press release

ABOUT PALFINGER AG

PALFINGER is an international technology and mechanical engineering company and the world’s leading producer and provider of innovative crane and lifting solutions. With around 12,700 employees (without contract workers), 30 manufacturing sites and a worldwide sales and service network of around 5,000 service points, PALFINGER creates added value from the challenges of its customers. PALFINGER is consistently continuing on its course as a provider of innovative, complete solutions that deliver increased efficiency and better operability, while leveraging the potential of digitalization along the entire production and value chain.

PALFINGER AG has been listed on the Vienna stock exchange since 1999, and in 2023 achieved record revenue of EUR 2.45 billion.

QUERIES TO

Katja Pötsch | Head of Public Relations & Executive Communication | PALFINGER AG
M +43 664 889 69 065 | k.poetsch@palfinger.com