Sarah Vanessa Kröner has followed in the footsteps of Dr. Peter Schimitzek at CSB-System SE. Taking up the position as the Chair of the Board in mid-July, she is now at the helm of the international ERP company providing solutions to the process industries. Company founder Peter Schimitzek, who has headed CSB for more than 48 years, will remain a member of the Management Board. He will be at the side of his daughter and continue to provide valuable impetus for the company’s development.

Sarah Vanessa Kröner: “I am very much looking forward to my new role as CEO, and I am proud to have the opportunity to lead and represent this great company. It feels good to be able to rely on a strong international team.”

With the generational handover, the company implements its long-term succession planning. It aims to secure the future of CSB-System SE as a family-operated and independent company – both as a solid employer and as a technology and quality leader for customers around the globe.

“Since the company’s foundation in 1977 together with my brother Karl-Heinz, I have put my heart and soul into this enterprise throughout my entire professional life. My commitment to this company is as strong as ever. Now, at 76, I am particularly happy that with Vanessa taking over the chair of the Management Board, the sustained success of CSB as a family-owned business remains secure,” says Peter Schimitzek.

A clear vision for the future: Adaptability and continuity

Since her appointment to the Management Board in 2013, Sarah Vanessa Kröner has been a strategic driver of international growth and product development. Her vision for the next few years is clear: further expand of CSB’s global presence and foster innovation in its product portfolio. The goal is to expand into new markets, offer exciting career opportunities for employees, and provide customers with tailor-made solutions to promote their competitiveness. “The ERP system is and will be our core. Yet the future also belongs to robotics and artificial intelligence, which we will increasingly implement for our customers and embed in our ERP. The vision behind this is the Smart Factory, where all processes – from purchase orders to sales – are digitally integrated. This is our common goal.”

Aligning the CSB organization so it can support its customers with the best IT solutions – this is a task Kröner has been intensively dealing with for many years. “My maxim has always been ‘Structure follows strategy’. If we, as a company, need to adapt to new situations or move into new markets, this is what we do, and this is our commitment.” 

In one major point, however, the new COB relies on continuity: “Being one of the few owner-managed software companies, we have a special significance in and responsibility for medium-size businesses in the process industries. Living up to this responsibility is always what we aim for and what we achieve,” Kröner says. 

More about Sarah Sarah Vanessa Kröner née Schimitzek 

Chair of the Board of CSB-System SE

• Degree in economics from University of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
• Several years’ work experience in the field of mergers & acquisitions at a major international bank
• Member of the Board since 2013
• Focus areas: Internationalization and strategic orientation of the CSB Group
• Lives in Switzerland together with her husband and two children
• An active tennis player, she also likes playing golf, skiing, and hiking to relax. She is fascinated by other cultures and enjoys gourmet cooking