Bechtle slims leadership team amid profit squeeze and market turbulence

A shrinking leadership and cautious forecasts signal Bechtle's struggle. Can a leaner team steer the company through chip shortages and slumping profits?

, and Administrator

2026 March 24 . 5:01 AM

1 min read

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Bechtle slims leadership team amid profit squeeze and market turbulence

Bechtle is restructuring its leadership as the company faces ongoing challenges in its core business. The supervisory board has announced plans to reduce the executive team from four to three members by January 2027. This comes alongside a cautious financial outlook for 2026, with pre-tax margins expected to drop to no more than five percent.

The changes follow a period of financial pressure, including a 10% drop in Bechtle's share price on March 20, 2026, after the release of its 2025 results. The stock later recovered slightly, climbing from €25.74 to between €26.34 and €27.43 by March 24. Analysts attributed the initial decline to weak economic growth in key markets, geopolitical risks, and persistent shortages in memory chips, which have pushed up costs and delayed customer investments.

Antje Leminsky will leave the executive board at the end of 2026, while Konstantin Ebert takes over as CEO from Thomas Olemotz at the start of 2027. The new three-member leadership team will prioritise speeding up internal processes to meet the company's €10 billion revenue target by 2030. Despite a decline in profits, Bechtle has proposed keeping its dividend at €0.70 per share. Management will reassess the 2026 forecast by midyear, focusing on memory chip supply and its effect on profitability.

The restructuring aims to streamline decision-making as Bechtle navigates rising costs and market uncertainty. Shareholders will receive a stable dividend, but the company's financial performance remains under close watch. A clearer picture of profitability is expected once the midyear review is complete.