Pfleiderer Group (Pfleiderer), one of the leading manufacturers of engineered wood in Europe, announces the appointment of Dr. Hicham Abel as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective March 31, 2025. Dr. Abel succeeds Dr. Frank Herrmann, who has been with the company for six years, also in his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Herrmann began his career at Pfleiderer as COO before being promoted to CEO in 2022.

Dr. Abel joins Pfleiderer from Master Builder Solutions, a global leader in construction chemicals. He was most recently President for Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Prior to that, he held senior management positions at Fosroc, Exova plc and Air Liquide. He holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and two PhDs in Energy Engineering and International Relations & Diplomacy from the Ecole Centrale de Nantes.

Zbigniew Prokopowicz, Chairman of the Advisory Board, said: “We sincerely thank Dr. Herrmann for his leadership, commitment and service to Pfleiderer, especially in the challenging market conditions of recent years. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming Dr. Abel to our company. His experience, track record and leadership skills will be instrumental in navigating Pfleiderer through the current market situation and positioning it for future growth.”

Dr. Hicham Abel commented: “I would like to thank Zbigniew and our shareholders for this opportunity. I am very much looking forward to working with the entire Pfleiderer team and driving future growth.”