Corporate Governance

Andreas Umbach, Chairman, is a Swiss and German citizen, born in 1963. Mr. Umbach has been the non-executive chairman of Landis+Gyr Group AG since the Company’s IPO in July 2017. From April 2017 until the IPO in July 2017 Mr. Umbach acted as executive chairman of the board of directors of Landis+Gyr AG, the operating subsidiary of the Company. Between 2002 and 2017 he served as President and CEO/COO of Landis+Gyr Group. Prior to serving as CEO, Mr. Umbach served as President of the Siemens Metering Division within the Power Transmission and Distribution Group and held other positions within Siemens. Mr. Umbach has been the chairman of the board of directors of SIG Combibloc Group AG (SIX: SIGN) since its IPO in September 2018. Mr. Umbach also holds directorships at non-publicly listed companies. He has been a board member of WWZ AG since 2013 and has been the chairman of the supervisory board of Techem Energy Services GmbH since 2018. Between 2012 and 2016 Mr. Umbach was a director at LichtBlick SE and between 2010 and April 2020 a director of Ascom Holding AG (SIX: ASCN). He has been the president of the Zug Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 2016. Mr. Umbach holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science (Diplom-Ingenieur) in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin.

Eric Elzvik, Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, is a Swiss and Swedish citizen, born in 1960. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. Mr. Elzvik also currently serves as board member of AB Volvo (STO: VOLV), board member and chairman of the audit and compliance committee at LM Ericsson Telephone Company (STO: ERIC), chairman of IP-Only/Global Connect Group, board member of Fenix Marine Services, and board member of VFS Global. Between 2013 and 2017, Mr. Elzvik served as Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Group Executive Committee of ABB Ltd. Prior to his role as CFO of ABB, Mr. Elzvik served as Division CFO ABB Discrete Automation & Motion (2010-2013) and division CFO Automation Products Division (2006-2010) at ABB Ltd, Zurich. Earlier in his career, Mr. Elzvik had various positions within the ABB Group beginning 1984, including senior management positions within finance, mergers & acquisitions, and new ventures. Mr. Elzvik holds a Master of Business Administration (Civilekonom), Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden.

Dave Geary, Independent Member, is a US citizen, born in 1955. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. Mr. Geary founded DJGeary Consulting, LLC in 2016. Mr. Geary has an international management background and extensive experience in the telecom industry and has previously served as Executive Vice President Business Integration at Nokia Networks (2016), following the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent by Nokia Networks. Prior to this, he was the President of the Wireless Networks business at Alcatel-Lucent (2012 to 2015) and was also the President of Wireline Networks (2009 to 2012). Prior to the Alcatel-Lucent merger, Mr. Geary held several senior leadership positions within Lucent Technologies and AT&T Network Systems. Mr. Geary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Bradley University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management.

Pierre-Alain Graf, Independent Member, is a Swiss citizen, born in 1962. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. Mr. Graf also currently serves as member of the board of directors of Broadband Networks AG and of DEPSys SA. Since 2017 he is a Senior Vice President of Global Security Business within the Power Grids Division of ABB Ltd. (SIX: ABBN). Prior to this, Mr. Graf was a Board member of Leclanché SA, served as CEO of Swissgrid, chairman of the TSC – TSO Security Cooperation and as General Manager at Cisco Systems Switzerland. Mr. Graf holds a Master of Law from the University of Basel and a Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

Werner Lieberherr, CEO, is a Swiss and US citizen. Mr. Lieberherr was appointed Chief Executive Officer in April 2020. Prior to joining Landis+Gyr, Mr. Lieberherr led as President & Chief Executive Officer the MANN+HUMMEL Group (2018-19). Between 2010 and 2017, Mr. Lieberherr was President & Chief Executive Officer of publicly traded B/E Aerospace. Following the acquisition of B/E Aerospace by Rockwell Collins in April 2017, he accompanied the successful integration of the Group as EVP & COO and the acquisition of Rockwell Collins by United Technologies. Previously, Mr. Lieberherr spent 16 years in various management positions in the energy industry at ABB and Alstom Power. Werner Lieberherr holds a degree in Technical Management and Operations Research from ETH Zurich and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Chicago.

Jonathan Elmer, CFO, is a British citizen. Mr. Elmer was appointed Executive Vice President and CFO in August 2012. Prior to becoming CFO, Mr. Elmer held various financial and management positions within Landis+Gyr, being CFO of our EMEA region between 2009 and 2012 and Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Landis+Gyr’s then existing UK/Prepayment region between 2004 and 2008. Between 1996 and 2004 he served as Finance Manager and then CEO of Ampy Metering Ltd. (a company acquired by Bayard Capital in 2003 which then became part of the Group upon Bayard Capital’s acquisition of Landis+ Gyr in 2004). Mr. Elmer holds a degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Exeter and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Prasanna Venkatesan, Head of Americas, is a US citizen. Mr. Venkatesan joined the Company in 2007 and was appointed Executive Vice President and Head of Americas in 2014. Prior to his current role, Mr. Venkatesan served for three years as Senior Vice President & General Manager Systems & Services at Landis+Gyr North America and five years as Senior Vice President Research & Development for Landis+Gyr since 2008. Between 2006 and 2007, he held various positions at Cellnet Technology, Inc. (acquired by Landis+Gyr in 2007), including Vice President of Research & Development leading the integration process of Cellnet into Landis+Gyr. He also held several senior level engineering and operations management positions at Schlumberger, including as Technology Center Manager, where he was involved in technology development, manufacturing and supply chain operations. Mr. Venkatesan currently serves as member of the board of directors of Advanced Energy Economy since 2015, a national association of business leaders who are making the global energy system more secure, clean, and affordable. Mr. Venkatesan holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Susanne Seitz, Head of EMEA, is a Swiss citizen. Ms. Seitz joined the Company in November 2018 and was appointed Executive Vice President and Head of EMEA. Prior to this she spent 15 years in various management positions with Siemens Building Technologies, including SVP Europe North, SVP Systems & Solutions and VP Enterprise Security. Earlier in her career she worked for BT&T Asset Management in corporate communications and as a project manager with Ernst Basler and Partners. Ms. Seitz holds an MSc in Environmental Engineering from ETH Zurich and an Executive MBA from the University of St Gallen.