11/02/2021 | 07:00 CET | Group Announcements
Stäfa (Switzerland), February 11, 2021 – Sonova Holding AG, a leading provider of hearing solutions, announces today that Birgit Conix will be taking up the position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and join the Sonova Management Board effective June 2021. She is a seasoned CFO with more than 25 years of international experience in finance, strategy and business operations across multiple industries, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, media and telecommunications. Birgit Conix has a proven track record of effectively leading global finance organizations, supporting a strategic agenda and enhancing efficiency. She will succeed Hartwig Grevener, who after serving more than eight years as CFO of the Sonova Group, has decided to take on a new CFO role outside the hearing care industry after the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting in June 2021.
Birgit Conix (born in 1965, Belgian citizen) was previously Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Board of TUI AG, a global leader in tourism, from 2018 to 2021. Before joining TUI AG, she was Chief Financial Officer of the Belgian media, cable and telecommunications group Telenet Group NV. Prior to that, she held various top-level positions in finance, strategy and business operations in the pharmaceuticals and medical devices business units at Johnson & Johnson, and in finance at Heineken, Tenneco and Reed Elsevier.
Birgit Conix holds an MBA from Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, USA, and a Master of Science in Business Economics from the University of Tilburg, Netherlands.
Arnd Kaldowski, CEO of Sonova, says: “I am very pleased that with Birgit we have found a highly qualified and experienced CFO for this important role. Over the course of her career, she has gained extensive financial leadership experience with publicly listed multinational enterprises active in healthcare and consumer-centric industries. Coupled with her intercultural experience and sensitivity, I am convinced that she will be a great addition to the Sonova management team. I am looking forward to working with Birgit and the entire team to tackle the next stage of our growth strategy.”
Birgit Conix will join the Sonova Group as of May 1, 2021. She will work closely with Hartwig Grevener during the transition phase and succeed him as CFO after the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting in June 2021.
Arnd Kaldowski adds: “During his tenure, Hartwig Grevener has been an important contributor to the strong development of the Sonova Group and to furthering our vertically integrated business model. In his role, he was instrumental in the successful acquisition and integration of AudioNova. He developed the finance team into a strong partner of our business units and led our IT organization to become an enabler of our global supply chain and digital customer interactions. Over the past year, he has helped us to master the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the name of the entire Management Board and the Board of Directors, I would like to sincerely thank Hartwig and wish him the best for his future endeavors.”
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