The Supervisory Board of R. STAHL AG and Dr. Claus Bischoff have mutually agreed to end their cooperation as of 31 May 2026. Dr. Bischoff resigned from his office as member of the Management Board with immediate effect at his own request and for personal reasons. Management Board member Tobias Popp will assume responsibility for the division previously managed by Dr. Bischoff until further notice. The Supervisory Board has initiated steps for further succession planning.
The Supervisory Board thanks Dr. Bischoff for his great commitment to R. STAHL AG, in particular for the economic stabilisation of the company that has been initiated and for the development and launch of the NEXUS future programme for corporate development. With this programme, Dr. Bischoff created a basis for future-proof market positioning, portfolio alignment, structural development and sustainable internationalisation of the company. The NEXUS future programme will be continued by Management Board member Tobias Popp in continuous coordination with the Supervisory Board and further developed in view of rapidly changing framework conditions. The Supervisory Board regrets the departure of Dr. Bischoff and wishes him all the best and continued success for the future.
R. STAHL is one of the world's leading suppliers of electrical and electronic products and systems for explosion protection. These products and systems prevent explosions in hazardous areas and contribute to the safety of people, machines and the environment. The portfolio covers the segments Electrical, Automation as well as Lighting and is completed by the cross-divisional function Customer Solutions. Typical customers include the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, the oil & gas industry - including LNG applications - as well as the food and beverage industry. Most of the R. STAHL products are also approved for use with hydrogen. In 2025, global sales amounted to around EUR 313 million generated by 1,659 employees. The shares of R. STAHL AG are traded on the Regulated Market/Prime Standard of Deutsche Boerse (ISIN DE000A1PHBB5).
This leadership change comes at a critical time as the company continues to implement its NEXUS future programme, which aims to strengthen market positioning and drive internationalisation. The departure of Dr. Bischoff, who was instrumental in launching this programme, raises questions about continuity and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. However, the Supervisory Board's swift appointment of Tobias Popp and ongoing succession planning signal a commitment to stability. For more information about R. STAHL and its products, visit www.r-stahl.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates of R. STAHL’s management. Although the company assumes that the expectations of these forward-looking statements are realistic, it cannot guarantee that these expectations will prove to be correct. The assumptions may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.
