Münster. Hengst Filtration has appointed Kolja Kress as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Executive Board of the Hengst Group, effective September 1, 2026. Kress has many years of international experience in senior finance and management positions, as well as extensive expertise in corporate transformation. At Hengst, he will be responsible for finance, controlling, HR, IT, legal, and compliance.
“We are very pleased to have Kolja Kress join Hengst. With his international experience, strong financial expertise, and understanding of change processes, he will provide important impetus for the further development of our Group,” say Jens Röttgering, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, and CEO Christopher Heine. “Together with him, we intend to consistently drive forward Hengst’s transformation into a filtration specialist, including from a business perspective.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA in Strategic Finance, Kress initially spent 13 years in various positions in the finance department of the industrial conglomerate Honeywell International, most recently as CFO of the Fire & Security Division. He then served as Managing Director and CFO at the automotive supplier Behr-Hella Thermocontrol, where he was responsible for all business operations, including finance, human resources, IT, and legal affairs. In his most recent role at the automotive supplier WOCO, he served as Managing Director and CFO, overseeing the finance, procurement, IT, and legal departments. Kress gained international experience in the U.S. and the U.K., among other places.
“Hengst is a successful family-owned company with a strong tradition, an international presence, and a clear agenda for the next phase of development. I look forward to working with the Executive Board and the entire Hengst team to further develop our financial strength, operational efficiency, and sustainable, profitable growth. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to actively help shape the company’s transformation as well as the further development of finance and digital management tools,” says Kolja Kress.
Hengst Filtration is pleased to welcome Kolja Kress and looks forward to seeing how he will enrich the company as its new CFO.
