Generational Change at Banner:
Werner Töpfl Appointed New CEO
Leonding, 8 April 2025. After decades of leadership by Andreas and Thomas Bawart, the Banner company is taking a historic step: For the first time, an external CEO, Mag. Werner Töpfl, took over the operational management on April 1, 2025.
New perspectives for a company steeped in tradition
After more than 30 years in management, we have decided to take a step back operationally in order to make room for new impulses," says the previous commercial managing director Andreas Bawart. "We are handing over to a manager who knows and lives our values – and at the same time has the necessary entrepreneurial experience to lead Banner further into the future." Werner Töpfl has already been gradually integrated into central areas of the company over the past two years and was most recently responsible for finance, IT, controlling, supply chain and sustainability.
Strategic transition ensures stability
The change at the top was planned and accompanied over many months. "The owners have placed their trust in me from the very beginning," says Töpfl. "We have designed a structured transition – with clear goals, open discussions and a lot of responsibility."
Focus on the 2030 Agenda
The new CEO Werner Töpfl wants to make banners more efficient, digital and market-oriented. "Banner must be noticeably different from the competition – through quality, customer proximity, speed and clear decisions," emphasizes Töpfl. He is supported by two long-standing managers: Franz Märzinger and Florian Steinhart, who act as members of the management board. "Our vision is clear," Töpfl continues: "Banner should be perceived as a leading provider of energy storage solutions from Austria – innovative, profitable and sustainable."
Values remain, responsibility changes
With the change, Andreas and Thomas Bawart are withdrawing from operational management, but will remain closely associated with Banner as owners. "It's a change in the sign of further development," says Andreas Bawart. "Our commitment to banners remains – just in new roles."
Captions:
Photo 1: (from left to right) Thomas Bawart – former Technical Managing Director, Werner Töpfl – new CEO, Andreas Bawart – former Commercial Managing Director
Photo 2: Werner Töpfl (new CEO), Franz Märzinger (right) and Florian Steinhart (left) – Members of the Executive Management
Additional photographic material is available from the downloadcenter under
https://www.bannerbatterien.com/Downloadcenter
Photo credits: © Banner, reprints free of charge. A specimen copy is requested.