Festo Names Dr. Wilm Uhlenbecker CEO of its North America Business Region
Festo announced today the pending retirement of its North American Business Region CEO Carlos Miranda on April 1 and the appointment of the business region’s new CEO Dr. Wilm Uhlenbecker.
A family-owned global business with more than $3.7 billion in revenue and 20,000 employees, Festo is recognized as one of the world’s leading automation suppliers and innovators. The company’s global headquarters is in Esslingen, Germany, and this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. Festo has had operations in North America for more than 50 years.
Uhlenbecker began his career in 1994 as a management trainee at Robert Bosch GMBH. He distinguished himself in every position, and, by 2003, he was the Assistant to the Robert Bosch CEO and Chairman Supervisory Board. He has held senior leadership positions throughout his career and in 2019 was named President NA, Brose Group. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and a MBA degree, both earned at RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. Uhlenbecker will report directly to Thomas Böck, Chairman of the Board. He started at Festo on January 15 and will undergo an intensive two-month onboarding process.
“As a family business entering its second century, everyone at Festo takes the long-term view and prizes innovation, sustainability, customer service, and support of coworkers,” said Miranda. “After extensive meetings with Dr. Uhlenbecker, I know that he shares these values, which are essential for everyone taking a leadership role at Festo. I am proud to be making the announcement of his appointment and extremely proud of my 24 years at Festo.”
“Carlos Miranda is an innovator,” Uhlenbecker said. “Festo North America today has a state-of-the-art distribution, custom manufacturing, and training center in Mason, Ohio, that serves North America and was built on his watch. Festo’s sales force is the most highly trained and motivated I’ve encountered, as are its distributors. And its dedication to customer success and innovative solutions is phenomenal. Festo North America is not on the cusp of growth, it’s growing.”
Miranda began his career as a sales manager at Trottner McJunkin in 1990. He joined Festo in 2001 as the Sales Director for Festo Mexico and by 2004, was named CEO of Festo Mexico. In 2010, he was promoted to President Festo Americas and in 2017, he was named President and CEO of North America, which includes Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Festo is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic and electromechanical systems, components, and controls for process and industrial automation. For more than 50 years in the U.S., Festo Corporation has continuously elevated the state of manufacturing with innovations and optimized motion control solutions that deliver higher performing, more profitable automated manufacturing and processing equipment. Through advanced technical and industrial education, Festo Didactic Learning Systems and its partners prepare workers for current and future manufacturing technologies.
