From 1 October on, the responsibility for leading business excellence in the Hidria Group will be managed by Mr. Christof Droste, the former vice-president of production of the German company Hella KG for China Lighting.

Mr. Christof Droste has over 20 years of global experience working at Hella Group, one of the leading global groups for automotive lighting equipment, holding various corporate responsibility roles in Germany, China and Slovenia, of which all have resulted in highest level of operational achievements. From 2008 until the beginning of 2014, he was the managing director of Hella Saturnus in Slovenia, resulting in important growth of its business and profitability; from March 2014 on he was the manager of all production activities at Hella Lighting in China and acting GM at the Lighting lead plant in Changchun, where he was also the crisis Manager in a transition period 8 years ago. His achievements were also acknowledged by the Manager’s Association of Slovenia with the 2011 Manager of the Year Award.

Hidria, as part of its financial restructuring and its focus on key activities in the automotive industry and the industry of air conditioning, heating and cooling of buildings, in which it has leading regional, European and global market shares, devotes special attention to the growth of its key programmes and to strengthening its leading global positions. Business excellence and achieving a high level of profitability are key elements in achieving the above goals. Mr. Christof Droste will manage operational excellence at Hidria as a vice-president of Hidria’s management board by implementing new innovative technologies and manufacturing processes and by developing a new innovative strategic business management model.