Company structure and Executive Board

  1. Company structure and Executive Board

In our three main business fields, plus our new business fields, we develop innovative solutions for the future. With the 100,000 products that we offer, we have a diverse portfolio. They are the result of decades of intensive development and consistent customer focus.

The six-member Executive Board supports our company in this endeavor.

Staff of the Business Area Device Connectors

Business Area Device Connectors

As a leading device connection technology manufacturer, we develop innovative connection and housing solutions for applications in virtually all areas of industry and infrastructure. When it comes to implementing modern device solutions, device manufacturers have a portfolio at their disposal that boasts over 60,000 products for signal, data, and power transmission. PCB terminal blocks and PCB connectors enable reliable PCB connections with a wide range of connection and mounting options. DIN rail and field housings reliably protect electronics, even in extreme conditions. For individual requirements, we offer excellent services ranging from intuitive configurators to new customer-specific product developments. As your partner, we support you every step of the way in the design-in process – from the initial idea right through to series production.

Staff of the Business Area Industrial Components and Electronics

Business Area Industrial Components and Electronics

As a world-leading provider of industrial connection technology and electronics, we offer a comprehensive product portfolio for setting up and operating control cabinets and systems. Our range includes terminal blocks and industrial connectors for field installation, switching devices, interface technology, and surge protection and power supplies. Various marking systems, tools, and mounting materials complete our portfolio. We also support our customers with software solutions for more efficient engineering as well as numerous different services and systems designed to increase productivity in control cabinet and systems manufacturing.

Staff of the Business Area Industry Management and Automation

Business Area Industry Management and Automation

We combine our product expertise with many years of application expertise. By working closely with our customers, we are able to develop smart, practical solutions – primarily for industries in the fields of energy, process industry, infrastructure, and factory automation. Their requirements are systematically reflected in Phoenix Contact’s range of services. Innovative control concepts, software, and products for industrial communication and network technology represent holistic automation.

Man holding a lightbulb in his hand surrounded by icons

New Business Fields

With New Business Fields, Phoenix Contact identifies and develops new business models, especially digital ones, and invests in internal and external start-ups that make a difference. As an extension to our core business, we develop future-oriented business fields with the aim of driving the All Electric Society forward. The diversity of our New Business Fields includes companies involved in corporate venture capital, e-mobility, Smart Services, technical education, testing and certification services, sensor applications, additive manufacturing, and platform business.

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Our Executive Board

Frank Stührenberg
Dirk Görlitzer
Torsten Janwlecke
Ulrich Leidecker
Dr. Frank Possel-Dölken
Axel Wachholz
Frank Stührenberg

Frank Stührenberg, born in 1963, studied Economics at Paderborn University, specializing in Business Informatics. He has been working at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG in Blomberg, Germany since 1992.

Frank Stührenberg began his career in 1989 at Nixdorf Computer AG, Paderborn. In 1992, he joined Phoenix Contact as Assistant to the Sales, Marketing, and Development Management Board. In 1995, he became head of International Key Account Management, and in 1998 headed up Sales in Germany. In 2001, Frank Stührenberg was appointed to the Phoenix Contact Executive Board and has been CEO since January 1, 2015.

Frank Stührenberg is a member of the Foreign Trade Committee and Asia-Pacific Committee for German Business of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), a member of the Board of Trustees of the KlimaWirtschaft Foundation, a member of Orgalim’s Executive Forum for Advanced Manufacturing, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe (WWL), and Vice President and Treasurer of the German Electro and Digital Industry Association (ZVEI e.V.).

Dirk Görlitzer

Dirk Görlitzer, born in 1967, studied Electrical Engineering at the OWL University of Applied Sciences in Lemgo, and has worked at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG since 1994.

Dirk Görlitzer began his career as a product manager. In 1999, he was appointed Director of Product Marketing Connection Technology, in 2003, Director of the Business Unit Industrial Connection Technology, and in 2011, Director of the Industrial Components Division.

Dirk Görlitzer has been President and Member of the Board of the Business Area Industrial Components and Electronics (ICE) since 2016. As Chief Operations Officer (COO), he has also been a Member of the Phoenix Contact Executive Board since August 1, 2020. In this role, he is head of the Manufacturing Solutions division and the subsidiaries in China and India.

Dirk Görlitzer is a member of the Hannover Messe Exhibitor Advisory Committee.

Torsten Janwlecke

Torsten Janwlecke, born in 1965, studied Electrical Engineering specializing in Communications Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld and Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg. He has been working at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG since 2016.

Torsten Janwlecke has held various management roles during his career, in German and Japanese firms. He was a General Manager in the connector industry for more than ten years before joining Phoenix Contact.

He has been President of the Business Area Device Connectors (DC) since 2016.
As Chief Operating Officer (COO), Torsten Janwlecke has also been a Member of the Phoenix Contact Group Executive Board since August 1, 2020. In this role, he is responsible for the Business Area as well as the Quality & Product Compliance, Facility Management, and Metal Parts Production divisions. In addition, he coordinates the Group’s sustainability activities.

Torsten Janwlecke is active in various industry associations and advisory boards. Among other things, he is a member of the Executive Board for Environment, Energy, and Climate of the German Electro and Digital Industry Association (ZVEI e.V.) and Advisory Board of the Electronica trade fair.

Ulrich Leidecker

Ulrich Leidecker, born in 1967, studied Control and Automation Technology at Paderborn University. He has been working at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG since 1994.

Ulrich Leidecker began his career in 1994 as a sales engineer. Shortly thereafter, he took on managerial roles in Sales and International Key Account Management. In 2010, Mr. Leidecker became General Manager of Phoenix Contact Deutschland GmbH.

He has been the President and a Member of the Board of the Business Area Industry Management and Automation (IMA) since 2016. As Chief Operations Officer (COO), he has also been a Member of the Phoenix Contact Executive Board since August 1, 2020. In this role, Ulrich Leidecker is responsible for the Purchase and Logistics divisions as well as the subsidiaries in the USA.

Within the ZVEI (German Electro and Digital Industry Association), Ulrich Leidecker has been the Chairman of the Regional Office North Rhine-Westphalia since 2018 and the Vice Chairman of the Automation Section since 2021.

Dr. Frank Possel-Dölken

Dr. Frank Possel-Dölken, born in 1974, studied Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH Aachen). He has been working at Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG since 2008.

Dr. Frank Possel-Dölken began his career in 2000 as a research associate in the machine tool lab of the RWTH Aachen, where his final duties involved leading the Excellence Cluster “Integrated Production Technology for High-Wage Countries”. After joining Phoenix Contact, he held various management positions in the Machine Building and Tool Shop divisions for several years. As Vice President, he headed up the Corporate Technology & Value Chain division from 2016 to 2020.

As Chief Digital Officer (CDO), he has been a Member of the Phoenix Contact Executive Board since August 1, 2020. In this role, Frank Possel-Dölken is responsible for the Digital Processes & Solutions divisions, as well as for Digital Business Experience Management (digital customer interface and sales channels). He is also responsible for central innovation and IP management.

Axel Wachholz

Axel Wachholz, born in 1970, studied Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University Dortmund. He began his professional career in International Application Engineering at Bilstein in Hagen. He joined the consulting company Droege & Comp in Düsseldorf in 2000, where he focused increasingly on organizational, finance, and controlling issues.

From 2005 to 2011, he was responsible for Corporate Controlling and the Special Projects unit of the Executive Board at Benteler in Paderborn and Salzburg, before becoming the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of sanitation and heating company Viega in Attendorn, Westphalia, in 2011.

He has been Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Manager of Phoenix Contact since January 1, 2018. In this role, Axel Wachholz is responsible for Finance, Controlling, Corporate Governance & Compliance, Taxes, and Law, as well as risk management and internal auditing.