EQS-News: Dr. Mohsen Sohi new Chairman of the Supervisory Board – KION increases dividend

Dr. Mohsen Sohi new Chairman of the Supervisory Board – KION increases dividend

• Annual General Meeting of KION GROUP AG: Dr. Mohsen Sohi elected as Chairman of the Supervisory Board
• Peter Kameritsch will become Chairman of the Audit Committee
• Supervisory Board and Executive Board proposals approved with majority vote
• Dividend of € 0.82 per share to be paid out (2024: € 0.70)
• Contract of Chief People and Sustainability Officer (CPSO) Valeria Gargiulo extended until April 2030

 

Frankfurt am Main, May 27, 2025 – Dr. Mohsen Sohi is the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KION GROUP AG. The internationally experienced chief executive succeeds Hans Peter Ring who retired after his term expired with effect from the end of the Annual General Meeting.

Dr. Sohi, born in 1959, is currently CEO of Freudenberg SE and Spokesman of the Board of Management of Freudenberg & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft and has extensive experience in the management of internationally oriented companies. Previously, Dr. Sohi was President and CEO of Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership in Plymouth, Michigan (USA) and held multiple senior executive positions at NCR Corporation and Honeywell.

The terms of office of Supervisory Board members Jiang Kui, Dr. Christina Reuter and Xu Ping ended on 27 May 2025. Jiang Kui has been elected for a further term. In addition, Dr. Nicolas Peter resigned from his office as a member of the Supervisory Board. The appointment of Dr. Sun Shaojun has been confirmed by the vote of the shareholders.

New candidates Sherry A. Aaholm, previously Chief Digital Officer at Cummins Inc. and Chief Information Officer at FedEx Services, Zhang Xiaomei, Deputy Director Legal and Compliance at Weichai Power and Peter Kameritsch, CFO at MTU Aero Engines AG, have been elected, the latter taking over the chairmanship of the Audit Committee.

“These elections ensure the Supervisory Board continues to constructively support the strategic direction of the company on its way to successfully implementing its resilient growth strategy in times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty,” said Hans Peter Ring.

KION operates in the middle of global supply chains

In his speech, CEO Rob Smith said KION continues to consequently implement its strategy and is increasing the innovative strength, accelerating product development, and leveraging new technologies such as AI for its customers: “KION shapes global trade—globally, regionally, and locally. Even in times of uncertainty, we are at the heart of the world's supply chains. We ensure that supply chains reach their full potential: fast, efficient, intelligent, sustainable, and resilient.” Smith looked back on the 2024 financial year, which the KION Group closed with strong results. With regards to macroeconomic volatility and trade conflicts he added: “Our Industrial Trucks & Services and Supply Chain Solutions segments drive our growth with their in-depth knowledge of regional and local markets. We produce local for local and local for global close to our customers in every region – and are therefore well prepared for shifting geopolitical scenarios.”

Supervisory Board and Executive Board proposals approved with majority vote

Around 120 shareholders represented more than 80 percent of the share capital at the Annual General Meeting. The majority of shareholders approved all of the proposals put forward by the Supervisory Board and Executive Board, including the dividend distribution of € 0.82 per share (previous year: € 0.70 per share), which corresponds to a payout ratio of around 30 percent.

Contract of CPSO Valeria Gargiulo extended

KION’s Supervisory Board has extended the contract of Chief People and Sustainability Officer Valeria Gargiulo until April 2030. “With Valeria Gargiulo's continued leadership, KION reinforces its commitment to our employees and to a sustainable future. Building on KION’s People’s and Sustainability Agenda, she will continue the path set to strengthen trustful relationships with our social partners and to sharpen our company’s sustainability profile by turning our commitments into positive impact,” said Hans Peter Ring, Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Valeria Gargiulo’s responsibilities at KION include Group-wide HR, Health & Safety, and Sustainability. As CPSO, she focusses on attracting and intensively developing talent around the globe, equipping internal teams with all the necessary skills, and further advancing an inclusive culture that elevates people’s engagement and unlocks their long-term potential.

Further information on the Annual General Meeting and all voting results can be found here:   

https://www.kiongroup.com/en/Investor-Relations/Shareholders-Meeting/

https://www.kiongroup.com/en/Investor-Relations/Financial-News/

 

The Company

The KION Group is one of the world’s leading providers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions. Its full spectrum of services includes industrial trucks as well as integrated automation technologies and software solutions for the optimization of supply chains—including all related services. The KION Group’s solutions ensure the smooth flow of materials and information in customers’ warehouses, production plants, and distribution centers in over 100 countries.

The MDAX listed group is the largest manufacturer of industrial trucks in the EMEA region based on the number of units sold in 2023. Based on revenue for the year 2023, the KION Group is the leading overseas manufacturer in China, and including domestic manufacturers, the third-largest supplier there. The KION Group is also one of the world’s leading warehouse automation providers, based on 2023 revenue.

At the end of 2024, more than 1.9 million industrial trucks of the KION Group were in use by customers from all manner of sectors and of varying sizes on six continents. The group currently has more than 42,000 employees and generated revenue of approx. € 11.5 billion in the 2024 financial year.

You can access up-to-date image material for the KION Group via our image database https://kion-mediacenter.canto.global/v/MediaCenter/ as well as on our respective brands’ websites.

(cs)
 

Disclaimer 

This release and the information contained herein are for information purposes only and do not constitute a prospectus or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ significantly from the results that are currently expected due to various risk factors and uncertainties such as changes in economic or industry-specific conditions, changes in the market environment or political situation, changes in domestic or international legislation, interest rate or exchange rate fluctuations, legal disputes and investigations, and the availability of financial resources. We do not assume any responsibility for updating the forward-looking statements in this release.

 

Further information for media representatives

Dr. Christopher Spies
Director Group Communications
Cell +49 (0)151 14 06 52 27
christopher.spies@kiongroup.com

 

Further Information for Investors

Raj Junginger
Senior Manager Investor Relations
Phone +49 (0)69 201 107 942
raj.junginger@kiongroup.com

 

Website: www.kiongroup.com/media

Follow us on: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | WeChat | TikTok | YouTube