Kay Lange (left) and Jens Nilsson After 31 years with d&b, Kay Lange, chief financial officer of d&b audiotechnik, is handing over his role to the next generation. Jens Nilsson has been appointed CFO and managing director, becoming the third general manager of d&b audiotechnik, working alongside CEO Amnon Harman and COO Markus Strohmeier.
“Kay Lange’s contribution to the growth, successes, and spirit of d&b audiotechnik can’t be valued highly enough. We owe him a lot,” Harman said. “We plan a secure handover for the next months.” Lange has committed to be fully available for d&b until the end of 2018.
Lange joined d&b in 1986 when the company, and its then 10 employees, had just moved from a garage into a former furniture shop. In 1989, when the number of employees had grown to more than 20, Lange had three months to find a new location, successfully finding the Backnang premises, a former spinning company of Eugen Adolff. This decision still pays off today, as d&b continues to expand its 25,000-square-meter headquarters—now with more than 350 employees.
Nilsson is responsible for finance, sales finance, IT, and facility management at d&b. Originally from Sweden, Nilsson has been working in Germany for more than 20 years. He brings management experience from roles in finance and controlling, as well as sales and marketing. In Nilsson’s last position as group chief financial officer, he was a member of the executive board of Knauf Insulation, a manufacturer with 1.6 billion Euros of annual revenue, and more than 5,500 employees worldwide. Nilsson graduated with a business sciences degree at the University of Gothenburg, and has a Master’s degree in business administration.
“We look forward to working with Jens Nilsson as new CFO at d&b audiotechnik,” Harman said. “He has the right experience to strengthen the management team on its way from a loudspeaker systems manufacturer to become an audio technology and solution company.”
