• Olaf Bartsch announces plan for retirement

• Stefan Koss will be new Executive Director Finance & Administration, coming from BSH Hausgeräte GmbH  

A generational change is foreseen in the Executive Board of the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic, commercial and medical appliances: OIaf Bartsch, who celebrated his 60th birthday last summer, has announced that he will be stepping down as Executive Director Finance & Administration of the Miele Group in the first half of 2025 for reasons of age. The other members of the Executive Board as well as the Miele Group Family Council ‘respect this step with the deepest regret’. As Olaf Bartsch had already announced his plans some time ago, it was possible to organise his succession without haste and with due care.

The new Executive Director Finance & Administration will be Stefan Koss, most recently CEO and President North America at BSH Hausgeräte GmbH. Born in 1971 in Langenhagen near Hanover, the business graduate began his professional career in 1999 as a trainee and subsequently in Controlling at BSH. This was followed from 2002 by a series of management positions in the Finance/Controlling department at BSH or at the corporate headquarters of Robert Bosch GmbH, with stations in Germany, China and the USA. Prior to his current position, Stefan Koss was Vice President Corporate Controlling at Robert Bosch GmbH.

With his professional expertise, many years of appliance industry experience and strong international focus, Stefan Koss is an excellent fit for Miele and will also provide valuable impulses for the further development of the company. He will be appointed Executive Director on January 1, 2025, and the exact date of the handover of responsibility in the first half of 2025 is yet to be determined.

Olaf Bartsch joined the company as a trainee in 1991 after graduating with a degree in industrial engineering. After holding various positions in central controlling, he became Head of the Finance/Controlling department in 2004. On January 1, 2009, he assumed responsibility for his current department as Executive Director. A comprehensive tribute to his work and outstanding services to the company as well as the thanks of the Executive Board and the Family Council will be reserved for a later date.

The Miele Group is managed by a six-member Executive Board with equal rights, with Dr. Markus Miele and Dr. Reinhard Zinkann as representatives of the owner families (Executive Directors and Co-Proprietors) as well as four non-family Executive Directors, each with departmental responsibility. In addition to Olaf Bartsch, these are Dr. Stefan Breit (Technology), Dr. Axel Kniehl (Marketing & Sales) and Rebecca Steinhage (Human Resources & Corporate Affairs).
 

Company profile: Miele is recognised as the world's leading supplier of Premium domestic appliances, with an inspiring portfolio for the kitchen, laundry and floor care. The company also offers machines, systems and services for use in hotels, offices, care and medical technology. Since its foundation in 1899, Miele has lived up to its brand promise of "Immer Besser" in terms of quality, innovation, performance and timeless elegance. With its durable and energy-saving appliances, Miele helps its customers to make their everyday lives as sustainable as possible. The company is still owned by the two founding families Miele and Zinkann and has 15 production plants, eight of which are in Germany. Around 22,700 people work for Miele worldwide and the company's most recent turnover was 4,96 billion Euro. The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh in Westphalia.