Germany: Knauf has announced that it is ‘future proofing’ its leadership structures for accelerated and sustainable growth worldwide,’ as part of a generational transition. Alexander Knauf will join the Partners’ Committee on 1 January 2026. At the same time, the group will reshape its top management to be broader and more diverse.
Kristin Neumann, most recently CFO at the DAX-listed company Brenntag, joined as a General Partner on 1 September 2025. Beginning in 2026, Neumann will oversee the CFO functions and the areas of Corporate Development, Human Resources, Legal & Compliance, Internal Audit, IT, and SAP Transformation, taking over from Alexander Knauf. The Gypsum Americas business, as well as Knauf’s global insulation activities, will be handed over from Alexander Knauf to Uwe Knotzer.
Murat Akyildiz, who has been responsible for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region at Knauf since 2021, will become General Partner on 1 January 2026. This role will see him assume operational responsibilities previously led by Uwe Knotzer. Jörg Kampmeyer will continue to oversee the gypsum business across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, among other activities.
Rupert Knauf, chair of the Partners’ Committee of the Knauf Group, said “I would like to thank Alexander for his many years of entrepreneurial dedication. He has driven our evolution into what is now a world-leading building materials company, providing key drivers for our dynamic business growth. With this personnel change, we are aligning continuity with renewal. Alexander’s long-standing leadership experience at Knauf will be a great asset to the Partners’ Committee and will ensure continuity in the company.”
Alexander Knauf said “I look back with gratitude on the past years in which I had the opportunity to contribute to the development of our company. I thank all our employees for their tireless dedication. Without them, the company’s success story would not have been possible. I am excited to start my new role, which I will approach with great passion. In this context, continuity in our values and strategy is particularly important to me. We can build on this strong foundation.”
Kristin Neumann said “Knauf has defined a very ambitious vision: To make tomorrow a home for all of us. I am very much looking forward to working with my colleagues to live up to this ambition, bringing a fresh outside perspective from my previous roles.”
Murat Akyildiz said “I am very pleased to take on even more responsibility for our company in the future. Particularly in Asia, the need for affordable housing and efficient infrastructure is significant. We can make important contributions there.”
