Martina Merz (born March 1, 1963), is a German engineer who was Chief executive officer (CEO) of ThyssenKrupp from 2019 to 2023,Jonas Jansen (24 April 2023), [Wechsel zum 1. Juni geplant: Martina Merz verlässt Thyssenkrupp überraschend] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. and has been called "the most powerful woman in the German economy".
Early life and education Merz studied manufacturing engineering and holds a Bachelor of Science from Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University in Stuttgart.
Career Merz started her career in 1985, taking up different management positions at Robert Bosch GmbH. In 2002, she joined Brose Fahrzeugteile as Executive Vice President, and returned to Bosch in 2005. From 2012, Merz worked as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Chassis Brakes International. From 2015 to 2019, Merz worked as an independent business consultant with memberships in the supervisory boards of Lufthansa, SAF-Holland, Imerys and Volvo.
In February 2019, Merz was elected Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of thyssenkrupp AG. Merz was CEO of ThyssenKrupp from October 1, 2019, following a series of profit warnings. Apart from selling the elevator business, several smaller business units were divested or closed as part of her restructuring efforts. However, her tenure saw Thyssenkrupp's share price fall by nearly half.Christoph Steitz and Tom Käckenhoff (24 April 2023), Thyssenkrupp CEO Martina Merz to quit; shares tank Reuters.
Other activities Corporate boards Bosch, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2025)Personnel changes at Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG and on the Bosch supervisory board Bosch, press release of 28 March 2025. Imerys, Member of the Board of Directors Volvo, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2015) SAF-Holland, Member of Board of the Directors Bekaert, Member of the Board of Directors (2016-2019) 2016 Annual Report: Corporate Governance Statement Bekaert.2019 Annual Report: Corporate Governance Statement Bekaert. Lufthansa, Member of the Supervisory Board (2016-2020)Tanja Kewes (March 10, 2008), Verjüngungskur Lufthansa baut Aufsichtsrat um Handelsblatt.Jens Koenen (April 24, 2020), Lufthansa holt sich neue prominente Aufsichtsräte – und will sich so neu aufstellen Handelsblatt.
Non-profit organizations Federation of German Industries (BDI), Member of the Presidium (since 2021)Presidium Federation of German Industries (BDI). Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2021)Board of Trustees Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG). European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), MemberMembers European Round Table of Industrialists.
References
External links Martina Merz, ThyssenKrupp website