Effective 1 April 2025, the Rhenus Group has appointed three experienced leaders from within the company to the Management Board. Dr. Joana Bätz will be representing the Group functions for Human Resources, Sustainability and Compliance, Jan Harnisch for Air & Ocean and Dr. Marcus Ewig for Automotive as well as the Group functions Procurement, Health & Safety and Quality Management.
The expansion of the Management Board reflects the company’s transformation into a leading global logistics company, lifting crucial roles to the highest level of decision-taking and reinforcing the Group’s commitment to future growth.
Over the past three decades, Rhenus has evolved from a mid-sized German logistics company into the world’s largest family-owned logistics provider, offering resilient and integrated supply chain solutions tailored to the rapidly changing needs of diverse industries. To navigate the complexities of the global logistics market and drive sustainable transformation, Rhenus has recognized the need for enhanced leadership and strategic guidance at the highest level. The expansion of the Management Board is a key step in this direction.
“We are delighted to welcome three accomplished leaders in their respective areas of responsibility to the Management Board,” says Dr. Marco Schröter, Chairman of the Supervisory Board Rhenus Group.
“These appointments demonstrate our commitment to leveraging our own talent and the deep expertise within Rhenus Group. Their combined experience will be invaluable as we navigate the evolving logistics landscape and pursue our ambitious growth path.”
“With the expansion of our Management Board we are reinforcing our people-centered approach and our commitment to future-proofing our company for generations to come. In addition, we are setting an important focus on strengthening all our divisions on a global level: in times of geopolitical volatility and rapidly changing market environments, we are ensuring that we can provide even more resilient, tailor-made logistics solutions for our customers and meet the specific needs of each industry even better,” adds Tobias Bartz, CEO Rhenus Group. “I have had the pleasure of working alongside these great colleagues for many years. Their operational expertise, strategic mindset, deep industry knowledge and their alignment with the unique Rhenus family values will be strong assets to the board. I’m delighted to welcome them and wish them every success in their new roles.”
New Board Member Appointments
With the appointment of Dr. Joana Bätz, Rhenus is giving top priority to its employees, the driving force behind the company’s success. Overseeing the Group functions for Human Resources, Compliance and Sustainability, she holds a key role in shaping the Group’s long-term strategy. Joana Bätz brings almost two decades of experience in the logistics sector, seven years of those spent with the Rhenus Group. She rapidly advanced into global leadership roles, before she was appointed Group CHRO in 2022. In this role, she implemented a professionalized Group-wide HR organization, significantly drove the company’s cultural change and brought people management to the next level by introducing HR technology solutions and launching a global employer brand. She received her doctorate from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt (Main), with a focus on Human Resources and Organizational Development.
Air & Ocean is now represented on the Board by its global CEO, Jan Harnisch, who has been with Rhenus since 2012. He has held leadership roles within the Air & Ocean Division at both global and regional levels, including Global COO since 2020 and Global CEO since 2022. Jan played a pivotal role in the division’s expansion into new international markets while driving operational excellence, digital transformation, and strategic growth. His focus is on scaling Rhenus Air & Ocean’s position as a global top player in freight forwarding by accelerating its international footprint, increasing agility, and advancing customer-centric logistics solutions that drive long-term value.
Dr. Marcus Ewig has been elevated to the Management Board from his role as CEO of Rhenus Automotive, a position he has held since 2017. His key achievements include leading the international expansion of Rhenus Automotive into China and the US, establishing a joint venture for battery lifecycle management, and continuously driving the divisions growth and success. Marcus Ewig can tap into his vast experience in the automotive sector, having held various leadership positions at Porsche. In addition to Automotive, he will also be responsible for the Group functions Procurement, Health & Safety and Quality Management. He earned his doctorate in business informatics at the University of Leipzig.
