Change in the HUBER SE Management Board: Franz Heindl becomes new Chief Sales Officer
Change in the Management Board of HUBER SE: The former HUBER Head of Sales Franz Heindl was appointed to the company's Management Board on 1 January 2026 and will be responsible for the sales division in future. He takes over from Rainer Köhler, who succeeds Dr Johann Grienberger as Chief Technology Officer. Dr Grienberger entered his well-deserved retirement on 1 January 2026, after more than 33 years with the company.
‘Continue to drive forward the positive development of the HUBER Group’
‘I am delighted to be taking on the role of Chief Sales Officer at HUBER SE from 2026,’ says Franz Heindl. ‘The long-standing successes achieved under Rainer Köhler’s sales management are both a benchmark and an incentive for me. Together with our team, we will exploit the existing market potential and continue to drive the positive development of the HUBER Group forward with sustainable, customer-oriented solutions.’
Franz Heindl began his professional career in the sales department at HUBER SE in 1995, after completing his mechanical engineering studies with a focus on environmental and process engineering. In 2000, he relocated to Singapore, where he initially managed the local representative office until 2002 and then served as managing director of the newly established Huber Technology Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd until 2010. After returning to Berching, he took over responsibility for sales at HUBER SE from January 2011 to December 2025. Franz Heindl is also a member of the International Technical Committee of the Regensburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Upper Palatinate and Kelheim, as well as a member of the Bavarian Environmental Cluster board.
A keen sense of the markets, a passion for sales, and strategic thinking
‘With his keen sense of markets, his passion for sales and his strategic thinking, Franz Heindl has already made valuable contributions in recent years. I am convinced that his expertise and commitment will continue to drive the company's successful development forward,’ says Georg Huber, shareholder and CEO of HUBER SE.
Rainer Köhler becomes Chief Technology Officer
Rainer Köhler, previously responsible for sales, will now be in charge of Technology. After studying chemical/process engineering and management, Rainer Köhler joined the company in August 1992. Starting as a product manager, he founded the representative office in Singapore in 1996, was responsible for it as branch manager for two years and initiated the establishment of Huber Technology Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. He returned to the company headquarters in Berching in 1998 and headed the International Sales department until 2003. From 2003 to 2009, he headed the company's international business operations. He has been a member of the HUBER SE Management Board since April 2009.
In addition to his supervisory board, director and shareholder functions in the subsidiaries and affiliates of HUBER SE, Rainer Köhler has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the German Association for Water Management, Wastewater and Waste (DWA), the advisory board of the Water Technology Transfer Network of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection, and the IFAT Munich Executive Board and Technical Advisory Board.
‘Always highly regarded as a colleague and friend’
‘Dr Johann Grienberger had a significant influence on the company for decades,’ says Rainer Köhler. ‘We often joked that he started his career at HUBER a month before me, and he never lost that lead until he retired. Whenever there were discussions, he would often say something along the lines of: Everything will be fine in the end, and if it's not fine yet, the process isn't over yet.’ This approach not only brought people inside and outside the company together, but also helped to develop projects and innovations further. I have always held him in high regard as a colleague and friend, and I wish him all the best for this new chapter in his life. At the same time, Franz Heindl will bring valuable impetus for further development, thanks to his many years of experience and deep understanding of our industry.’
Dr.-Ing. Johann Grienberger: over 33 years at HUBER, over 21 years on the Management Board
Rainer Köhler takes over the Technology division from Dr.-Ing. Johann Grienberger, who is entering well-deserved retirement after over 33 years of service at HUBER SE. After studying chemical and process engineering, obtaining his doctorate, and working as a research assistant, he began his career at the company in July 1992 as Head of Research and Development. From 1996 to 2004, he held several management positions in sales, for which he was also responsible as a member of the Management Board from April 2004.
From April 2009 until recently, he was responsible for the Technology division as a member of the Management Board. Dr Johann Grienberger was thus a member of the Management Board for over 21 years and responsible for the Technology division for over 16 years. In addition to his functions as a supervisory board member, director and managing director in various HUBER SE subsidiaries and affiliates, he was a member of the Bavarian Environmental Cluster board and the university council of the East Bavarian Technical University of Amberg-Weiden.
‘I look back on our time together with great gratitude’
‘After more than three decades at HUBER, I look back on our time together with great gratitude,’ says Dr Johann Grienberger. ‘It has been a great pleasure and honour to help shape the company. Rainer Köhler, an experienced colleague, is taking over the Technology division and will continue to run it successfully. I also wish Franz Heindl every success in his new role as Chief Sales Officer. The company is on a sound footing and I am convinced that HUBER will remain strong and innovative in the years to come.’
‘He significantly shaped the technology division at HUBER’
‘Dr Johann Grienberger has significantly shaped the technology division at HUBER with his tireless dedication, exceptional expertise and many years of experience,’ says Georg Huber. ‘His work has been crucial to the technological development of HUBER SE and contributed significantly to the success of our company. With his profound understanding of technical interrelationships, his foresight and his calm, level-headed manner, he has ensured balance both internally and externally for many years – always bearing in mind the essentials and long-term goals. I would like to thank him personally, and on behalf of the entire company, for his extraordinary commitment.’
