The RWTÜV Group, a group of renowned technology service providers operating in the insurance services, telecommunications, and energy & environment sectors, has announced changes to its governing bodies with effect from April.
(Eating in April 2026) A significant change is the departure of Dr. rer. pol. Elmar Legge, who worked for RWTÜV and TÜV Nord AG for almost 40 years in total, and whose shareholder is RWTÜV GmbH. Dr. Legge served on the Supervisory Board of the RWTÜV Group from November 2004 to March 2006 and from July 2009 to April 2026; he took over the chairmanship in February 2020. The Chairman of the Management Board of RWTÜV GmbH, Thomas Biedermann, pays tribute to his achievements with great respect: „Dr. Legge has decisively shaped the fortunes of our group of companies. Various outstanding milestones fall within his tenure. First and foremost, the split of the company into two more focused and efficient corporate groups: on the one hand, the RWTÜV Group with our current business areas, and on the other, the integration of the classic TÜV testing and inspection business into TÜV NORD AG. This was founded in 2004 with TÜV NORD e.V. and TÜV Hannover / Sachsen-Anhalt e.V. We thank Dr. Legge wholeheartedly and will miss his analytical insight and deep understanding of our group. We wish him all the best for the future, good health, and fulfilling new perspectives and projects.“
Clear judgement and extensive expertise
Prof. Dr Karl Friedrich Jakob, who served as Chairman of the Executive Board of RWTÜV e.V. from February 2006 to January 2020 and subsequently served as a member of the Supervisory Board of the RWTÜV Group, is also retiring. During this time, he also served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TÜV Nord AG and played an active role in the work of the governing bodies of both organisations.
Dr. jur. Jürgen-Johann Rupp, Chief Financial Officer of the RAG Foundation and a member of the Supervisory Board of the RWTÜV Group since July 2009, is also stepping down.
Dr Fabian Fechner, a member of the management board of RWTÜV GmbH, expressed his gratitude: “We are saying farewell to key figures who have supported our company over many years with clear judgement, broad expertise and great commitment. They have helped shape and develop the RWTÜV Group and our current stable position. We are very grateful to them for their inspiration and their reliable support.”
As part of the succession plan, Dr Peter Sauermann, Dr Hans Christian Atzpodien and Elisabeth Bienbeck-Ketelhohn are moving from the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of RWTÜV e.V. to the Supervisory Board of RWTÜV GmbH. At the inaugural meeting, Dr Sauermann was elected Chairman and Dr Atzpodien Deputy Chairman.
Dr Fabian Fechner (left) and Thomas Biedermann (right) bid farewell to, from left to right, Dr Jürgen-Johann Rupp, Dr Elmar Legge and Prof. Dr Karl Friedrich Jakob, who are stepping down from the Supervisory Board
Strengthening our position on future-oriented topics
Our thanks also go to Stephanie Schunck (a member of the Board of Directors since June 2012) and Matthias Hube (since June 2010), who are both stepping down from their roles on the Board of Directors of RWTÜV e. V. They are succeeded by Natalie Henßen of RWE Technology International GmbH and Dr Stefan Bockamp of Uniper Technologies GmbH. Bärbel Bergerhoff-Wodopia was re-elected to her post by the General Meeting. Thomas Biedermann, Chairman of the Board of RWTÜV e.V., explains: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the new members and to the continued involvement of our Board of Directors. We anticipate interesting insights into future topics and technologies. With our current five-year strategy up to 2030, under the motto ‘move AS ONE’, we are actively developing the group further with innovative and synergistic service offerings in the fields of insurance services, telecommunications, and energy & environment. We look forward to new perspectives, fresh insights and expertise from our current and new Board members.”
The extensive changes were marked by meetings of all RWTÜV Group committees on 30 April 2026 at Landsberg Castle.
The newly constituted Supervisory Board: from left to right: Volker Höhnisch (BEng), Dr Fabian Fechner (left), Dr Hans Christian Atzpodien, Dr Peter Sauermann, Elisabeth Bienbeck-Ketelhohn, Thomas Biedermann, Hüseyin Güngör (BEng), Steven Becker
About the Company
RWTÜV Group: The RWTÜV Group, founded in 1872, is a group of renowned technology service providers operating in the sectors of insurance services, telecommunications, and energy & environment, with a turnover of €257.1 million in 2025. Also a shareholder in TÜV Nord AG, RWTÜV stands for safety and progress and is regarded as a driver of innovation in collaboration with science and research. The group’s companies operate in over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, employing more than 2,000 staff. Management: Thomas Biedermann (Chairman) | Fabian Fechner
Contact
RWTÜV GmbH
Thomas Biedermann, Chairman of the Management Board
Kronprinzenstraße 30, 45128 Essen, Germany
Thomas.Biedermann@rwtuev.de | +49 201 1252-100
rwtuev.de