To document the growing importance of Asia Pacific to KION's global operations, the Supervisory Board of KION Group GmbH has created the new Executive Board position of Chief Asia Pacific Officer. This new position will be filled by Ching Pong Quek. Mr. Quek has been CEO of Linde (China) Forklift Truck Corp.

Ltd. since 2005 and has also been President & CEO for KION's entire Asia business since 2008. The Supervisory Board appointed him as a member of KION Group's Executive Board with effect from January 11, 2013. He will take on this new role in addition to his existing responsibilities.

In a further move, the existing Linde and STILL brand management will be more involved in direct responsibility for the KION Group as a whole. The CEO of Linde Material Handling GmbH, Theodor Maurer, and the CEO of STILL GmbH, Bert-Jan Knoef, have been appointed to the Executive Board of the KION Group with effect from January 11, 2013. They will continue to be in charge of their respective brand companies.

Gordon Riske continues as Chief Executive Officer of the KION Group, heading up the expanded, five-strong Executive Board. KION Group's Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Thomas Toepfer, has also been appointed Labor Relations Director by the Supervisory Board. Klaus Hofer, who has been the Executive Board member responsible for Human Resources until now, is leaving the company.