Oettinger seeks new CEO after Pomykala exits over strategy clash
Oettinger Getränke is searching for its second chief executive in less than a year after Thilo Pomykala's abrupt departure, highlighting governance friction at the family-owned brewer.
Thilo Pomykala has stepped down as chief executive of German brewer Oettinger Getränke after just three months in the role. The company announced on 20 July that the departure was by mutual agreement. The move followed fundamental differences between the executive and the board over the firm's future strategic direction.
The abrupt leadership change highlights the complexities of executing succession planning at closely held industrial companies. Oettinger stated that both parties concluded a change in leadership was the appropriate mechanism to support the company's development.
This executive fracture occurs against a backdrop of heightened direct oversight from the company's majority shareholder. Pia Kollmar returned to the executive board just two months ago to assume direct responsibility for finance and strategy. She had previously stepped down from the management board in 2022 to join the group's advisory board.
The timing of Kollmar's return to an operational role and Pomykala's subsequent exit underscores a potential clash over strategic control. Kollmar publicly addressed the leadership change. "I regret this development and would like to thank Mr. Pomykala for the collaboration and the impetus he provided," she said.
Pomykala's brief tenure continues a recent pattern of rapid turnover in the company's top executive role. He took the helm in April, succeeding Stefan Blaschak, who resigned from the position in November.
The departing chief executive brought extensive consumer goods experience to the brewer. Before joining Oettinger, Pomykala spent more than six years as a managing director at German dairy group Hochwald. His earlier career included time on the executive board of spirits producer Underberg and leading sales, marketing and product development at dairy group Meggle.
Oettinger, which employs around 700 people, positions itself as one of Germany's largest drinks producers. As a family-owned enterprise, its corporate governance structure differs significantly from publicly traded peers, concentrating voting power and strategic influence with a single majority shareholder.
For market professionals, the episode illustrates a common friction point in family-owned mid-caps. When a majority shareholder takes a hands-on role in strategy, external hires may struggle to assert independent operational control. Oettinger must now determine whether its next chief executive will be expected to execute a strategy defined entirely by the ownership group, or if the board will cede strategic authority to a new external leader.
