Haitian International is reducing the size of its management board. According to a statement by the company, the move is intentional, in order to promote a more efficient operation.
The company added that various management tasks were also being ‘innovatively and newly structured’ due to the increasing trend for digitalization.
Among those leaving is Helmar Franz, who held his seat for a total of 13 years. During those years which he served first as a member of the Board, including as a stint as Chief Strategy Officer, and later as its non-executive director.
Haitian International CEO Zhang Jianming commented that Professor Franz had played a ‘key role in the strategic development of our company and is one of the major contributors to our success today’.
Franz joined the Haitian Group as executive vice president of Strategic Business Development in 2005, becoming one of the first Germans on the board of a Chinese, family-owned company.
He has worked for some 48 years in the plastics industry and now, at age 70, has passed one of his areas of responsibility to the new generation of managers. He has, however, not completely severed all ties with the company, having now been named chairman of the Strategy Development Committee, a council comprised of experienced managers that provides input to the board of management.