Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Günter Vogelsang, one of the most influential managers in German industry, has died in Düsseldorf at the age of 95. He was very closely connected to the ThyssenKrupp Group and its predecessor organizations for many decades. Günter Vogelsang was Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ThyssenKrupp AG before standing down for age reasons at September 30, 2013. Until then he oversaw and supported the reorganization of the enterprise and the associated culture change with great interest.

After studying business administration in Cologne, Günter Vogelsang began his career with an auditing firm in Düsseldorf. In 1954 Alfried Krupp brought him to Essen to join Fried. Krupp GmbH as Director of Internal Auditing and Organization. After progressing through a number of management posts at Krupp companies and at Mannesmann, he served as Chairman of the Executive Board of Fried. Krupp GmbH in Essen from 1968 to 1972. From 1972 Prof. Dr. Günter Vogelsang held seats on the supervisory boards of many of Germany’s leading companies. In 1983 he became one of the “steel moderators”, alongside Alfred Herrhausen and Marcus Bierich, tasked by the German government with producing a plan for the restructuring of the steel industry. Even then he believed it would be wise for Thyssen and Krupp to merge. However, the time was not yet right.

Günter Vogelsang was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Thyssen AG from 1984 to 1996. In this function he used his experience and creative input to help transform the former steel producer into an industrial and services group. From 1996 to 1999 he was Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Thyssen AG. Together with Berthold Beitz, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, Günter Vogelsang was one of the driving forces behind the merger of Thyssen AG and Fried. Krupp AG in 1999. From 1999 to 2013 he was Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ThyssenKrupp AG. Even in advanced years, Günter Vogelsang shared his extensive practical experience with the world of academia. He completed a doctorate (Dr. rer. pol.) in 1992, before qualifying as a professor, and from 1995 delivered guest lectures on corporate consulting at the University of Cologne.

Günter Vogelsang’s career is without parallel in German industry. With his entrepreneurial courage and professional excellence, Günter Vogelsang played a key role in the development of ThyssenKrupp and its predecessor companies. He sat on the supervisory boards of Deutsche Bank AG, Daimler AG, E.ON SE and many other major companies.

Through his leading role in the business life of the Federal Republic of Germany he made decisive contributions to the country and to numerous companies. As an outstanding entrepreneurial figure Günter Vogelsang was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1989.

The Supervisory Board, Executive Board, Group Works Council and employees of ThyssenKrupp AG will hold Günter Vogelsang in grateful remembrance.

ThyssenKrupp is a diversified industrial group with traditional strengths in materials and a growing share of capital goods and services businesses. Around 155,000 employees in nearly 80 countries work with passion and technological expertise to develop high-quality products and intelligent industrial processes and services for sustainable progress. Their skills and commitment are the basis of our success. In fiscal year 2013/2014 ThyssenKrupp generated sales of around €41 billion.

With our engineering expertise in the areas Mechanical, Plant and Materials we enable our customers to gain an edge in the global market and manufacture innovative products in a cost- and resource-friendly way. For us, technical progress and innovations, allied with the combined strength of the Group, are key factors enabling us to follow the development trends on the global sales markets, grow on the markets of the future, and generate strong and stable earnings, cash flows and value growth.