Alpla: Philipp Lehner is the new CFO
Philipp Lehner is the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the international packaging specialist ALPLA as of 1 January 2019. He takes over the role from Georg Früh, who will now focus on Family Office responsibilities.
Philipp Lehner has been active in the family company since June 2014 and has worked in several areas of the company. The 34-year-old son of CEO Günther Lehner most recently served as Regional Manager for North America. He takes the place of Georg Früh as CFO and will be responsible for Finance, IT, Digitisation and Human Resources.
‘I am happy to welcome my son as a member of the board. This is an important step in our efforts to plan ahead for a generation change at the top of the company,’ says Alpla CEO Günther Lehner. ‘I would like to thank Georg Früh from the bottom of my heart for his outstanding commitment. That he will continue to use the wealth of his experience and knowledge for the benefit of the owner family is of tremendous value to us.’
Finance expert with international experience
Philipp Lehner studied at Nanjing University in China, at the European Business School London and at Harvard Business School in Boston. Prior to joining Alpla, his career led him to the finance and consulting industry, including positions at McKinsey (Hamburg) and H.I.G. European Capital Partners LLP (London). As Project Manager, Plant Manager and Regional Manager in North America, he has gained a deep understanding of the world of Alpla over the last five years. ‘Alpla is a great company with dedicated employees. I am proud to be able to shape the future of our family company in my new role,’ says Philipp Lehner.
Georg Früh has held numerous management positions at Alpla in over thirty years at the company. He joined Alpla Germany in 1987 and was appointed CFO in 1999. Georg Früh contributed greatly to the international success of the group. This is clear from the number of employees and sites: Alpla had 29 plants and around 3,000 employees in 1995, while at the end of 2018, this had risen to 178 sites and 20,800 employees worldwide.
