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The KION GROUP AG set the course for the future development of the company at its 2026 Annual General Meeting. CEO Rob Smith presented the shareholders with the progress and challenges of the past year and emphasized KION’s role in the global supply chain. The company is active in various sectors, including industrial trucks, automation, and software solutions, and aims to establish itself as a leading provider of supply chain solutions.
Tradition and Innovation Combined
In his speech, Smith highlighted KION’s long tradition, which spans over 200 years of corporate history. „KION’s roots go back more than 200 years. That is 200 years of excellence, innovation, and the trust of our customers,“ Smith explained. He emphasized that KION has been actively shaping the future of supply chains for two decades. The company aims to integrate all elements of modern supply chains while leveraging the strengths of its employees, technologies, and partnerships.
Another central point of the Annual General Meeting was the re-election of supervisory board members. Dr. Alexander Dibelius, Kui Jiang, and Dr. Shaojun Sun resigned from their positions. Mohsen Sohi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, honored the contributions of the departing members, describing them as key figures in the development of KION. „Alexander Dibelius is our longest-serving supervisory board member and has been with the company for 19 years. He played a key role in laying the foundations for the group,“ Sohi stated.
New Supervisory Board with International Experience
On the recommendation of the Nomination Committee, three new members were elected to the Supervisory Board: Dr. Ralf Krieger, Decheng Wang, and Zhao Jin. Sohi expressed positive sentiments about the new additions and their potential impact on the work of the Supervisory Board. „I am very pleased that we have succeeded in bringing these three highly qualified individuals onto the Supervisory Board,“ he said.
The Annual General Meeting recorded a high participation rate, with more than 79 percent of the share capital represented. The shareholders approved all proposals from the Supervisory Board and Management Board, including the distribution of a dividend of €0.62 per share, which corresponds to a payout ratio of around 35 percent.
Contract Extension for Michael Larsson
Another important resolution was the extension of Michael Larsson’s contract, President of KION IAS and ITS Americas, until December 2029. Sohi emphasized Larsson’s successes in developing Dematic and its significance for the company’s future positioning in the field of supply chain orchestration. „The Supervisory Board is convinced that Dematic will be positioned even stronger with his leadership and extensive industry knowledge,“ Sohi added.
Thus, the Annual General Meeting of KION GROUP AG highlighted the strategic steps the company is taking to assert itself in a rapidly changing market and to tackle the challenges of global supply chains.
