Aidan Ryan has been appointed as the new CEO of Schmitz Dong Feng Special Vehicle Company, a Joint Venture between German juggernaut Schmitz Cargobull and Chinese company Dong Feng based in Wuhan, China.
As of the start of December, Ryan took over from Bradley J. Hartsell, who was appointed to the position in September 2015. Before joining Schmitz Cargobull, Ryan served as Vice President of R & D for the Asia-Pacific region for the Kion Group APAC in Xiamen/China and was responsible for product development for the local markets.
“Due to the unique, solid know-how he has gained over a period of many years in different countries, his impressive successes in leadership roles in the USA, Europe and Asia, and his knowledge of the commercial vehicle market, Aidan Ryan is exceptionally well suited to take over the strategic direction of our joint venture in China. We are thrilled that he has decided to take on this exciting new challenge,” said Professor Jürgen Kluge, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Schmitz Cargobull AG.
“I'm very happy and am looking forward to taking on my new tasks and responsibilities at Schmitz Cargobull in Wuhan. I will further expand the company's success and the product portfolio in China and beyond. I express my thanks for the confidence placed in me and for the chance to make a positive contribution to the success of the joint venture,” said Ryan.
Since mid-2015, Schmitz Cargobull has been producing articulated trailers vehicles at the new Wuhan plant that are specially designed to endure the challenging environments of the region.