Effective May 1, 2026, CEO Dr.-Ing. Oliver Lemmer stepped down from the Cemecon executive board. As a long-standing associate of company founder Dr.-Ing. Toni Leyendecker from the very beginning, Lemmer had been responsible for organizational and technical functions within the company from its inception before assuming the role of CEO in 2022. He is now handing over the position and responsibility for the company’s 350 employees worldwide to fellow board member Bernd Hermeler.
New CEO Familiar With All Company Divisions
Over the past 35 years, Hermeler has been involved in all areas of Cemecon’s business and established himself as a key shaping force within the company. Beginning in 2000, he held various technical and commercial management positions and has served on the executive board since 2018, initially as CMO and since 2022 as COO of Cemecon. The broad perspective and expertise he gained during this time are expected to contribute to the company’s continued success in his new role.
The position of COO will now be assumed by Christoph Feig, succeeding Hermeler in the role. The graduate engineer specializing in materials science brings extensive experience in technical leadership positions. From 2004 to 2010, he worked in various technical functions at Cemecon. In the years that followed, he led major maintenance organizations at companies in the steel and aluminum industries. Combining management and leadership experience with a strong understanding of technical service operations, Feig returned to Cemecon in 2024. Since then, he has been prepared for his role as COO through a structured onboarding process.
Marketing and Sales Remain in Experienced Hands
Dr.-Ing. Beate Hüttermann will remain CMO and continue to oversee sales, product management, and marketing. Having served the company in various capacities since 1987, she built up Cemecon’s global sales and marketing organization over the years and has continued to drive its development as a member of the executive board since 2022.
“Especially in dynamic times, personnel stability is also a key factor for success,” outgoing CEO Oliver Lemmer explained. “With Bernd Hermeler at the helm and additional executives who have internalized our company DNA over decades, we are ensuring a high degree of continuity for our customers and partners in terms of reliability, quality, and long-term innovative strength.” Hermeler added: “Cemecon has outstanding employees with a shared vision and world-leading technology in diamond and PVD HiPIMS coatings for cutting tools. Building on this foundation, the executive board works every day to continue advancing in all key markets.”