Jan. 29, 2026 — Dr. Olaf Munkelt, co-founder and managing director of MVTec Software GmbH, Munich, is the new chairman of the VDMA Robotics + Automation division. He succeeds Dr. Dietmar Ley, formerly CEO of Basler AG, Ahrensburg, who resigned from the board for statutory reasons and was given a formal send-off by the board.
“Our industry faces profound structural challenges that we will only overcome with clear prioritization. Crucially, we must now work decisively on our competitiveness, expand dialogue with policymakers at the national and European levels, and achieve a leading position in artificial intelligence and its industrial applications. This is precisely what we are focusing our work on within the industry association,” says Dr. Olaf Munkelt regarding his new role.
At the same time, two new members were appointed to the board of VDMA Robotics + Automation to fill existing vacancies: Hardy Mehl, CEO of Basler AG , succeeds Dr. Dietmar Ley. Jürgen Noailles, CEO of IEF Werner GmbH and member of the board of VDMA Automated Solutions, succeeds Jörg Kipper (Festo), who retired at the end of the year.
The new board of VDMA Robotics + Automation is therefore composed as follows:
- Dr. Lars Friedrich, president and CEO of the Application Technology Division, Dürr Systems AG, Bietigheim-Bissingen
- Dr. Horst Heinol-Heikkinen, founder and managing director of Asentics GmbH & Co. KG, Siegen
- Dr. Michael Jürgens, CEO KUKA Systems GmbH, Augsburg
- Frank Konrad (deputy chairman), CEO HAHN Automation Group Holding GmbH, Rheinböllen
- Martin Kullmann, head of Customer Service ABB Robotics Deutschland GmbH, Friedberg
- Ralph Lehleuter, managing director and Shareholder of MAFU Automation GmbH, Rosenfeld
- Markus Maurer, head of Business Unit Automation VITRONIC Machine Vision GmbH, Wiesbaden
- Hardy Mehl, CEO Basler AG, Ahrensburg
- Dr. Olaf Munkelt (chairman), co-founder and managing director of MVTec Software GmbH, Munich
- Jürgen Noailles, managing director, IEF-Werner GmbH, Furtwangen
- Cornelia Püschel, managing partner of PÜSCHEL Automation GmbH & Co. KG, Lüdenscheid
- David Reger, CEO Neura Robotics GmbH, Metzingen
- Volker Spanier, head of Manufacturing Solutions Europe EPSON Deutschland GmbH, Düsseldorf
- Ralf Winkelmann, managing director FANUC Deutschland GmbH Neuhausen ad F.