VERBIO AG aligns its Management Board structure with its international growth plans

• New structure strengthens focus on regions instead of on segments
• Bundling the Group’s technology competence with the formation of a new technology department
• Finance department transferred from CEO Claus Sauter to new CFO department
• VERBIO manager Olaf Tröber appointed as new Chief Financial Officer

Leipzig, June 15, 2022 – The Supervisory Board of VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG has approved the new Management Board structure. The executive responsibilities of the Management Board have been realigned in view of the Group’s planned growth targets, increasing internationalisation and product diversification. The new structure has been expanded to include a Chief Financial Officer (CFO), with a new finance department that will primarily be responsible for activities that were previously managed by Claus Sauter in addition to his role as CEO.

As a result, the Management Board will in future consist of six members. By unanimous resolution of the Supervisory Board, Olaf Tröber has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer. Olaf Tröber, who has until now been Head of Group Financing, Treasury and Business Development, will become a member of the Board from July 1, 2022.

A new technical department will be formed which will be led jointly by the experienced Management Board members Prof. Dr. Oliver Lüdtke and Theodor Niesmann. This combination will strengthen the Group’s power and know-how in research and development, plant construction, and project development and management.

Bernd Sauter will be the Management Board member responsible for Europe, having previously managed VERBIO’s procurement and logistics. Stefan Schreiber remains the Management Board member responsible for North America. His appointment has been extended ahead of schedule until June 30, 2027.

Alexander von Witzleben, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of VERBIO AG, said: “VERBIO is driving forward its internationalisation. VERBIO continues to invest in the diversification of its product portfolio, away from being purely a manufacturer of biofuels to becoming a leading provider of climate-friendly renewable products for a wide range of industrial applications. The new international regional structure reflects the individual nature of the markets with their ecological, regulatory and cultural differences. The new technology department bundles VERBIO’s innovation power across all segments, and the new CFO position strengthens VERBIO’s competence in Finance, ESG and Compliance. The new structure creates the conditions that are needed to accelerate international growth.”

In future, Claus Sauter as Chief Executive Officer will be responsible for Global Business Development, Mergers & Acquisitions, Post Merger Integration, Global Human Resources, and Global Marketing & Communications. In addition, he will manage VERBIO’s activities in India, and will be responsible for the newly created Speciality Unit. This will undertake the development, production and marketing of renewable base components for the chemical industry as well as for the food and feed industry.

As the newly appointed member of the Management Board, Olaf Tröber will be responsible for the traditional finance department and capital markets communication that was previously managed by CEO Claus Sauter. In addition, he is responsible for global controlling, global IT, legal and compliance.

Olaf Tröber, a master in business administration, has held various managerial roles at VERBIO AG since 2007 and contributes many years of experience and expert knowledge. “I am very much looking forward to helping to shape globalisation and growth of the Group in the future as a Member of the Management Board VERBIO, a member of the SDAX and the TecDAX, has earned its excellent position in the capital market, and we will continue to build on this in the coming years.”

CEO Claus Sauter added: “We have ambitious growth objectives, and to achieve them we need new structures that are appropriate to our global orientation. In future we will be offering base ingredients from renewable sources for the chemical industry and speciality products for the foodstuffs and feed industry, and we will start manufacturing synthetic methane and green hydrogen. To do this we need an optimal allocation of responsibilities and an enlarged Management Board. With his expert knowledge, Olaf Tröber will make a significant contribution to continuing VERBIO’s equity story.”

The new Management Board structure will be implemented in the course of the financial year 2022/2023.

Information about VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG (VERBIO)
VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG is one of the leading independent bioenergy manufacturers, and is also the only large-scale producer of biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane in Europe. The Group employs approximately 900 people at its locations in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg as well as at its foreign subsidiaries in India, the USA, Canada, Poland and Hungary. VERBIO concentrates on the use of internally developed innovative technologies and efficient energy-saving production processes. VERBIO’s biofuels achieve CO₂ savings of up to 90 percent compared to petrol or diesel. The Group’s annual production capacity amounts to approximately 660,000 tonnes of biodiesel, 260,000 tonnes of bioethanol and 900 gigawatt hours of biomethane. In addition, VERBIO manufactures biofertiliser and animal feed for agricultural use as well as high-value raw materials for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and foodstuff industries. With its innovative processes and highly efficient production plants, VERBIO is a technology leader in the biofuels market. The VERBIO share (ISIN DE000A0JL9W6/WKN A0JL9W) has been listed in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since October 2006.

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Important notice
This publication contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions and estimates made by the management of VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG. Although the Company’s management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimations are realistic, actual future developments and actual future results may differ significantly from these assumptions and estimates due to a variety of factors. For example, these factors can include changes to the overall economic climate, changes to the legal and regulatory framework in Germany and the EU, and changes in the industry. VERBIO can give no guarantee and accepts no liability as to whether future development and the results actually achieved in future will match the assumptions and estimates made in this publication.