Since 1 January 2026, Michael Kuhnen, as CEO and Kathrin Dörle, as CFO, have formed the new Executive Board team at Hosokawa Alpine AG, bringing with them years of experience and connection to the Augsburg-based engineering company specialising in mechanical process engineering and blown film extrusion lines.
Kuhnen spent 19 years in various roles at Hosokawa Alpine, returning to the group after a year and a half, while Dörle has been with the company for over 20 years and is the first woman on the Executive Board.
Hosokawa Alpine shared an interview with the two board members who discussed their first 100 days in new roles, including the challenges and initial strategic decisions, their understanding of leadership and collaboration and the vision which they hope to shape the future of the company.
Speaking about whether it was easy to suddenly view Hosokawa Alpine from the Executive Board’s perspective, they explained: “Our many years of service at the company and the experience gained in various roles provide an excellent foundation for our work on the Executive Board. They make it easier to understand structures, processes and the organisation as a whole. At the same time, the Executive Board perspective brings a fresh outlook on issues and areas with which we were previously less closely involved. The company is our professional home, which we know very well. The task is to consciously broaden our perspective, adopt an overall strategic view and, in doing so, make targeted use of the diverse experience gained from our previous roles. “
According to Kuhnen and Dörle, external, unforeseeable factors “heavily influenced” their first 100 days at the new positions, highlighting geopolitical developments, such as the war in Iran, to have a “noticeable impact on key operating conditions.”
“At the same time, we have to consistently drive forward our strategic realignment in this demanding environment whilst simultaneously implementing measures with immediate effect. Striking this balance between a long-term perspective and operational agility was and still is particularly challenging. Added to this is a high level of internal complexity, which we need to reduce in a targeted manner to simplify decision-making.”
Speaking about the strategic decisions they consciously made early on, they shared: “From the outset, a key focus was on developing a clear corporate strategy and implementing the associated process to ensure that this strategy is effectively put into practice on a day-to-day basis. In addition, we drove forward the expansion of internal communication and turned our attention to the further development of our leadership and corporate culture. Another focus was on the continuous improvement of the working environment and on increasing efficiency.”
In the interview, the two also shared their definition of good leadership in Hosokawa Alpine, saying, “For us, good leadership means above all transparency and trust. Openness and mutual respect are particularly important in the current situation to provide direction and create a sense of security. Our aim is to bring everyone on board and to align the company together towards a clear goal: To practise leadership in a way that builds trust – clear in purpose, open in dialogue and committed in action.”
Treating each other with openness, trust and support is what is particularly important for Kuhnen and Dörle in their collaboration on the Executive Board. They explained how this approach helps create a working atmosphere where they can discuss matters constructively and make better decisions together.
When asked about their goals in the next three to five years, they highlighted tapping into new markets and further strengthening the company’s current position, while evolving from a traditional mechanical engineering firm into a comprehensive solutions provider. They aim to cover a wide range of technologies, together with expanding the scope of our offerings across upstream and downstream process steps, particularly in automation technology and digital solutions. “We also aim to be a partner for our customers in implementing processes across the entire lifecycle,” they explained.
In the Hosokawa Alpine interview, Kuhnen and Dörle also shared their opinions beyond products and figures. “On the other hand, there are corporate values such as trust, responsibility, appreciation, passion and quality, which form the foundation of our daily collaboration.”
Furthermore, innovation is firmly anchored in our corporate strategy. We take a holistic view of innovation, encompassing technologies, processes and working methods. At the same time, we are clearly committed to sustainability. For us, this means continuously reducing our carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable world through our products, and focusing on long-term, sustainable developments rather than short-term effects. In all of this, we rely on our own value creation.”
Image credit: Hosokawa Alpine
