PIA Group restructures leadership team

Dual leadership at PIA Automation: Co-CEOs Thomas Ernst and Shilai Xie are now leading the automation specialist. (Photo: PIA)

PIA Automation Holding GmbH, Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale, is restructuring its management team with a view to further internationalization of its business and deeper integration into the Ningbo/China headquarters: From October 22, 2021, the current managing directors Thomas Ernst (47) and Shilai Xie (45) will serve as Co-CEOs at the helm of the automation specialist. The former Chairman of the Management Board, Johannes Linden (52), is stepping down from his CEO position. Georg Weiler (61) remains a member of the Management Board of PIA Automation Holding as CFO, as does his counterpart Albert Jiang (39), who continues as CFO of Ningbo PIA Automation Holding Cooperation in China.

The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PIA Automation Holding GmbH, Dr. Michael Roesnick, stated: "We thank our former CEO Johannes Linden for his commitment over the past four years, especially for his contribution to the further internationalization of all business activities. Now, we believe the time has come to adapt to changing framework conditions and our international growth trajectory by restructuring our leadership team."

In recent years, the strategic focus has been primarily on growth and the internationalization of the PIA business. Now, the company group is entering a new strategic phase. The PIA Group will focus more strongly on engineering excellence, customer orientation, and profitability to ensure the sustainable success of PIA.

"With our two Co-CEOs Thomas Ernst and Shilai Xie, we are setting new regional, strategic, and technological impulses. At the same time, a high degree of continuity is guaranteed, as we deliberately chose internal succession planning with Mr. Ernst and Mr. Xie. Furthermore, Thomas Ernst and Shilai Xie pursue a joint approach to positioning the company as 'One PIA Group,' a global partner of international corporate groups for advanced automation solutions with first-class service," said the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dr. Michael Roesnick.

Thomas Ernst previously held the CTO department within the PIA Group and will now serve as Co-CEO Technology. He is also responsible for Sales and the Europe region. Ernst has been part of the PIA Group or the acquired IMA Automation Amberg since 2010 in senior roles.

Shilai Xie has previously been responsible for the Chinese market within the PIA management and initiated strong growth there. He also played a central role in the post-merger integration of the PIA Group. As Co-CEO, Xie now takes on the Strategy department and the Asia and North America regions. The American engineer with Chinese roots has been a member of the PIA management since 2019. Prior to that, he held various leadership positions, including at Bosch USA, Zehnder Group, and ECR International in China and the USA.