Thoma, who will assume operational management of Sulzer, replaces CEO Frédéric Lalanne who is resigning at the end of October 2022. Lalanne became CEO of Sulzer earlier this year.
Sulzer says its board sees a need for action in view of the constantly evolving market environment and the associated structural shift in demand in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Thoma with conduct a thorough review and comprehensive realignment of Sulzer’s strategy. She will continue in this capacity at least until the development of the new corporate strategy and the first phase of its implementation have been completed.
“The significant shift in demand brought on by geopolitical developments and climate change presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Sulzer,” said Matthias Bichsel, vice chairman of the Sulzer board. “Sulzer has outstanding solutions to meet these challenges, but we must take quick and decisive action to seize the associated opportunities. It is therefore absolutely imperative for us to review our strategy. The board of directors has asked Suzanne Thoma to take on this responsibility.”
Sulzer will report on the initial findings of the strategy review in the first half of 2023.
“We also wish to express our gratitude to Frédéric Lalanne and acknowledge his work and valuable contribution to Sulzer over the past seven years,” added Bichsel. “In particular, he strategically and financially turned around the Flow Equipment division which is today again significantly contributing to Sulzer's success. Furthermore, he demonstrated prudence and steadfastness in his role as CEO in the face of the current geopolitical conflicts.”
