Mathias Miedreich—Steering ZF Friedrichshafen AG Through a Defining Era of Transformation
When Mathias Miedreich took over the CEO position in ZF Friedrichshafen AG in October 2025, he headed one of the most challenging leadership positions within the global automotive-supply industry. ZF is a German powerhouse, in business for a century, known for its driveline and chassis technologies and is navigating a volatile landscape defined by slowing electric-vehicle adoption, complex global trade shifts, and a long-term transition away from traditional combustion-engine platforms. Miedreich’s appointment is a symbol of stability and strategic reinvention as the company seeks to survive through rapid adaptation.
Miedreich brings decades of experience from Siemens, Continental, Faurecia, and most recently Umicore, where he was CEO. His career has been heavily concentrated around powertrain, mobility technologies, and sustainability-driven material innovations—making him an ideal candidate to lead an organisation that finds itself at a crossroads. By the time he joined ZF’s Board of Management in late 2024, he was already tasked with building out the company’s Electrified Powertrain Technology division, laying the foundation for the broader responsibilities he would soon assume as CEO.
At ZF, Miedreich inherits a company undergoing vast internal restructuring. The global slowdown in electric-vehicle demand was putting unforeseen pressure on suppliers that had invested heavily in electrification. For ZF, it meant reassessing capacity, product strategy, and headcount across its powertrain divisions. One of the first decisions under Miedreich’s leadership was to announce a major restructuring plan by cutting around 7,600 jobs by 2030 in the Electrified Powertrain division of the company. Difficult though this move may be, it reflects an industry-wide reality: suppliers must right-size operations to ensure profitability while still being ready for eventual recovery in EV markets.
Importantly, ZF decided not to sell or spin off this division, despite previous discussions. Instead, Miedreich is pushing for a leaner, more focused structure that keeps electrified powertrain technologies at the company’s core. This reflects a strategic belief that electrification, though slower than expected, still remains core to the long-term survival of ZF. To enable this shift, he has supported the creation of a new Transformation Committee within the company—designed to streamline decision-making, align operational priorities, and accelerate strategic execution across regions.
Beyond internal restructuring, there are a raft of pressing challenges for Miedreich. ZF’s debt-to-equity ratio is high due to past acquisitions, so financial discipline is paramount. Yet the company also has to keep investing selectively in competitive technologies such as electric drive systems, components for autonomous driving and state-of-the-art safety systems. Finding this balance between investment and cost control will be one of the CEO’s most scrutinised responsibilities.
Another major focus area will be diversification in global markets. With oversight of ZF’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, Miedreich is likely to push for deeper engagement with fast-growing Asian markets where automakers continue their investments in electric vehicles, hybrids, and next-generation drivetrain solutions. Such a step would imply firming up partnerships with major OEMs in China, Korea, Japan, and India to stabilize ZF’s international footprint. At the same time, he has to offset the decline in demand from Europe and surging geopolitical trade frictions that complicate global supply chains.
Internally, Miedreich’s leadership style is all about clarity, simplification, and technical depth. His early decisions have been pragmatic: cut redundancies, shed management layers, and hone the focus on programs with the highest growth potential. The expectation from employees and industry analysts is that he will bring the steady, engineering-oriented leadership the company needs to stabilize in an extremely turbulent era. With close to 170 production locations around the globe and a diverse portfolio encompassing passenger cars, commercial vehicles, industrial applications, and aerospace, ZF requires agile leadership with the ability to steer a mega organization through rapid change.
Over the next couple of years, he will be tested on how well Miedreich can reposition ZF without losing momentum in innovation. He will have to regain investor confidence, retain customer commitment during the restructuring of ZF, and project a vision suitable for the future that balances electrification with hybrid and traditional technologies still in demand. Whether this CEO integrates global operations, accelerates efficiency programs, and ensures profitability will ultimately define his tenure. Though tantalizing, the way forward is fraught with serious challenges. While early steps by Miedreich demonstrate a resolve for tough decisions, they reinforce the long-term strategic capabilities of ZF. If he succeeds, ZF may not only weather the current industry headwinds but emerge stronger—leaner, more adaptive, and well-prepared for the next phase of mobility transformation.
