The Group area Western & Southern Europe and most of Northern & Eastern Europe-Central Asia will be combined into the Group area Europe. Jon Morrish, currently responsible for Western & Southern Europe, will be responsible for this newly established Group area as of January 2024. Ernest Jelito, responsible for Northern & Eastern Europe-Central Asia and the Competence Center Cement, will retire on 31 December 2023. Hakan Gurdal, in charge of the Group Area Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin, will take on additional responsibilities for Kazakhstan and Russia as of January 2024. The area will be renamed to Africa & Mediterranean-Western Asia (AMWA).
Roberto Callieri, General Manager Italy, will be promoted to the Heidelberg Materials Managing Board and take on responsibility for Asia within the Group area Asia-Pacific as of January 2024. He will take over from Kevin Gluskie, whose term will finish on 31 January 2024. As part of the change, René Aldach, Chief Financial Officer, will assume additional responsibility for Australia as of January 2024.
To embed deep technical expertise within the Managing Board and drive forward the company's technical projects towards a net zero future, Axel Conrads, President of the Midwest Region in the U.S., will be promoted to the Heidelberg Materials Managing Board, taking on the new role of Chief Technical Officer as of February 2024. He will be responsible for all three global technical Competence Centers: Cement (CCC), Aggregates & Asphalt (CCA), and Readymix (CCR).
Dr. Bernd Scheifele, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Heidelberg Materials, said: "The changes within the Managing Board are part of our long-term succession planning. By reorganising the responsibilities for our Group areas and putting an even higher focus on the technical aspects of our business, we further strengthen the basis for the continuing successful development of our company. I welcome Roberto Callieri and Axel Conrads to the Managing Board and congratulate René Aldach, Hakan Gurdal, and Jon Morrish on their additional regional responsibilities. My personal thanks go to Kevin Gluskie and Ernest Jelito for their commitment and successful work over many years. They have contributed significantly to the operational excellence and the profitable growth of Heidelberg Materials."
Dr Dominik von Achten, Chairman of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials, added: "In the person of Jon Morrish, a competent and very experienced Managing Board member to lead our newly established and now largest Group area Europe has been appointed. We thank René Aldach and Hakan Gurdal for taking on additional country responsibilities.
"With Roberto Callieri and Axel Conrads, two managers from our own ranks with many years of experience in various roles around the world will be joining as new members of the Managing Board. I welcome them and look forward to working with them closely. I would like to sincerely thank Kevin Gluskie and Ernest Jelito for all the hard work and dedication shown during their longstanding career at Heidelberg Materials and wish them all the best for their future."
Roberto Callieri studied electrical engineering at the University of Cagliari and financial management at the Bocconi University in Milan. He joined Italcementi in 1990, holding several senior management positions in Puerto Rico, the USA, Canada, Turkey, Thailand, Egypt, and Italy. Since 2016, he has been responsible as General Manager for Italy. On the Heidelberg Materials Managing Board, he will take on responsibility for Asia within the Group area Asia-Pacific as of January 2024. He is appointed to the Managing Board until December 2026.
Axel Conrads studied mining engineering at TU Clausthal and RWTH Aachen, Germany. He joined Heidelberg Materials in 1999 and held several senior management positions in Germany, the USA, Belgium, and Bulgaria. Since 2020, he has been President of the region Midwest in Indianapolis, USA. He will be the Chief Technical Officer on the Heidelberg Materials Managing Board as of February 2024. He is appointed until January 2027 and will be responsible for the global technical Competence Centers Cement, Aggregates & Asphalt, and Readymix.
