UZWIL, Switzerland – Bühler announced that Executive Board member Dieter Vögtli passed away on Friday, June 5, due to a short but major illness. Vögtli headed the global Service & Sales (SAS) organization of the company and was previously responsible for Bühler’s business in Asia. “We lose a great entrepreneur, a powerful leader and a very close friend,” said Stefan Scheiber, CEO at Bühler Group. Samuel Schär, in addition to his current function as CEO of Bühler’s Advanced Materials business, has taken over the responsibilities as head of the SAS organization.

Vögtli, a mechanical engineer who graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), started his career as a global power plant commissioning engineer at the Swiss-based Brown Boveri Co. He joined Bühler in 2004, first as country head China, and from 2009 onwards also as head of Bühler Group Asia Pacific. With his entrepreneurial attitude and deep market understanding, combined with strong empathy for customers and employees, he was fundamental to the success and growth of Bühler over the past 16 years, especially in Asia. In his functions, Vögtli has also served as a member of the Bühler Group Executive Board. After handing over his responsibilities to his successor in Asia, he relocated with his family back to Switzerland in 2018. Vögtli passionately cared for his customers, employees and for the Bühler company. “Through this, he has created a great reputation for Bühler and for himself. We are ever thankful to Dieter Vögtli for his 16 years of service to the company. Our thoughts are with his wife and family,” said Stefan Scheiber.

Schär has taken over the responsibilities as head of the global SAS organization, in addition to his current function as CEO of the Advanced Materials business. This internal succession solution had been in preparation for a longer time. Schär graduated as a physics engineer from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and joined Bühler in 2002. He took charge of the then newly founded Nanotechnology Business Unit in 2005 and was later responsible for the Business Area Grinding & Dispersing. In 2013, Schär was promoted to Bühler's Executive Board as the CEO of the Advanced Materials business. “We consider ourselves fortunate to ensure continuity for our important global Service and Sales organization with Samuel Schär, who is a very successful and experienced member of our team. We wish him the best of success in this new role,” said CEO Scheiber.