Solms [Germany], March 5, 2009—The Supervisory Bord [sic] of Leica Camera AG today
unanimously appointed Rudolf Spiller new Chairman of the Board of
Management with effect from April 1, 2009. Rudolf Spiller will succeed Dr.
Andreas Kaufmann who had assumed office as member and Chairman of the Board
of Management for an interim period until February 28, 2009 only.
Rudolf Spiller was previously active as an independent management consultant. Before that he held executive positions with various optical industry companies.
Rudolf Spiller was previously active as an independent management consultant. Before that he held executive positions with various optical industry companies.
From an independant management consultant to Chairman, wow!
Posted by: JohnL | Thursday, 05 March 2009 at 06:03 PM
JohnL,
Make no mistake, Dr. Kaufmann is still the major stockholder and de facto owner of the company, and will continue to provide the direction and vision for the future. I'm sure he just doesn't want to have to run the company on a day-to-day basis, and probably never intended to do so.
Again, to be clear, I speak on supposition, not on solid knowledge--I have no insider connection to Leica or any other camera company, and I'm not privy to confidential information of any kind.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Thursday, 05 March 2009 at 06:16 PM
Ok I take the point but promoting a waiter to head chef seems strange to me; and are they saying their was no-one else on the board able/capable/willing to be chairman.
Leica have been a mixed up bunch for many years and until the reasoning becomes known I feel the trend continues.
Posted by: JohnL | Thursday, 05 March 2009 at 07:20 PM
JohnL,
I think it's a perfectly legit appointment...I think Herr Spiller used to be in charge of one of the divisions at at Zeiss (photogrammetry? if it's the same guy. My memory seems to get worse by the month). He's an industry vet with experience.
The Best Buy guy didn't work out, but don't hold that against them. It happens.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Thursday, 05 March 2009 at 07:42 PM
I'd expect Leica to alternate uncomfortable and comfortable leaders. Steven Lee was distinctly uncomfortable, and large parts of the Leica community (like the dealer chain) really hated him. But he shook things up, which I think probably helped. When he had made enough enemies and promised in public enough things that simply can't be done, it was time for comfortable managers to get the implementation done. CEOs are disposable.
scott
Posted by: scott kirkpatrick | Friday, 06 March 2009 at 01:53 AM
John, please bear in mind that the Chairman (or Speaker) of the Board of Management of a German stock corporation is not the same as e.g. the CEO in a US stock corporation. The German Chairman is merely a "primus inter pares" among the board members, while a CEO is "da man".
Posted by: RolandG | Friday, 06 March 2009 at 03:23 AM
When Dr. Kaufmann took over from Steven Lee, he was taking the position on a temporary basis and said he would step down at the end of February 2009.
Posted by: John A. Stovall | Friday, 06 March 2009 at 12:01 PM