MUNICH, Germany — Hermann O. Franz, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG from 1993 to 1998 and longtime member of the company’s Managing Board, died on October 7, 2016 at the age of 87.
Gerhard Cromme, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG, paid tribute to Franz – who worked for Siemens for more than 40 years – as a key player in the company’s post-war history: “Until his resignation as Chairman of the Supervisory Board in 1998, Hermann Franz played a decisive role in shaping our company’s development over many years. In 1988, for example, he was appointed head of Corporate Planning and Development. In this capacity, he was responsible for the reorganization of Siemens AG at that time. Hermann Franz made many valuable contributions to Siemens. We will hold his memory in the highest esteem.”
Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG, added: “Siemens’ employees commemorate the memory of the company’s longtime Managing Board member and Supervisory Board Chairman Hermann Franz. He maintained close ties to the company to the end, always serving as a trustworthy advisor. It is with sincere gratitude and tremendous regard that we pay our last respects to an outstanding individual and his distinguished life’s work.”
Born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Franz completed his university studies in electrical engineering at Karlsruhe Technical University before joining Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG in Essen as a sales engineer in 1957. In the years that followed, Franz held a variety of managerial positions, including head of the Basic Industries Division, head of the Siemens companies in Iran and head of the International Operations Division. In 1980, he was appointed to the company’s Managing Board before being named head of Siemens’ Electrical Installations and Automotive Systems Group in 1985. In addition to his other positions, Franz was appointed head of the company’s Corporate Planning and Development Department in 1988. In this capacity, he was responsible for the fundamental reform of Siemens’ organizational structure in 1989, which proved viable for more than a decade and a half in an era of deregulation and globalization.
In addition to his duties at Siemens, Franz was intensively engaged in fostering science and research. From 1998 on, he served as Chairman of the Scientific Technical Council of the Bavarian State Government, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Bavarian Research Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bavarian Elite Academy. Among the honors Franz received for his commitment were the Bavarian Distinguished Service Award, the Service Medal of the Land of Baden-Württemberg and honorary doctorates from Erlangen University and Braunschweig University.
Tagged with obituary, Siemens, tED