CONTINUITY OF TOP QUALITY OPTICS SECURED FOR THE FUTURE

Dr. Gerd Schreiter succeeding Dipl. Ing. Ludwig Pernstich as Executive Board Member for Technical Operations

Press Release

Absam / Tyrol, February 2010: On April 1, 2010, 53-year-old Dr. Gerd Schreiter will be appointed as SWAROVSKI OPTIK Executive Board Member for Technical Operations. He will follow in the footsteps of longstanding Executive Board Member Dipl. Ing. Ludwig Pernstich who will remain in post with the long-established Austrian company as director responsible for compliance with industrial law until the end of March 2011. A smooth handover of the wide-ranging responsibilities is therefore assured. This appointment will not only guarantee the continuity of developing and manufacturing high precision sport optics but also enable SWAROVSKI OPTIK to further develop its market position as a world leader in the manufacturing of premium sport optics.

"I am very pleased that we have succeeded in recruiting Dr. Gerd Schreiter as Dipl. Ing. Pernstich' s successor, as he has the necessary qualifications in terms of expertise and personality to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and further develop the company with us.
He will also contribute extensive knowledge on combining optics and electronics gained from his training and career to date. He furthermore has an equally proven record of implementing dynamic initiatives for innovation. From the outset, I considered the timely filling of this position, which is critical for our success, as one of my top priorities." states Mrs Carina Schiestl-Swarovski, Chairwoman of the Executive Boardat SWAROVSKI OPTIK, with regard to the changes in the Board. She furthermore states: "Mr Ludwig Pernstich has been instrumental in shaping our company for more than three decades with his technical expertise and prudence and has made a significant contribution to the success of SWAROVSKI OPTIK to date.
He has left his mark in terms of the optical quality and precision of our optical products, now recognised throughout the world. Numerous international prizes bear an impressive testimony to this."



Mr Ludwig Pernstich, who is now 61 and has been the executive responsible for technology for 25 years, will continue to serve the company as director responsible for compliance with industrial law and as a technical consultant until the end of March 2011, when he will take his well-deserved retirement.

From April 1, 2010, the SWAROVSKI OPTIK Executive Board will therefore consist of three members: Carina Schiestl-Swarovski will be the Chairwoman of the Executive Board for strategy, finance and human resources, Johannes Davoras responsible for marketing and sales and Gerd Schreiter will be in charge of technology, R & D, quality assurance, production and logistics.



About Dr. Gerd Schreiter
After completing his physics degree in Jena, German-born Gerd Schreiter was employed by various well-known companies including Siemens VDO Infotainment Systems and has developed extensive expertise on optics and electronics. Most recently, this married father of two children was recruited by the company Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH based in Wetzlar in 2004 and was appointed R & D manager in 2006.

"To be appointed as Member of the Executive Board for Technical Operations for a company like SWAROVSKI OPTIK which has an exceptional reputation throughout the world is a challenge which I relish. I intend to use my expertise on optics and electronics and experience of managing complex organisational units to further build on the success of this famous company, respond to our customers' wishes and requirements as effectively as possible and thus make a valuable contribution to the company's growth strategy in collaboration with my colleagues." states Dr. Gerd Schreiter on his appointment to the SWAROVSKI OPTIK Executive Board.

Dipl. Ing. Ludwig Pernstich comments on more than three decades at SWAROVSKI OPTIK: "I can look back on my long career with the company with great pleasure. I have had the opportunity to work together with our colleagues at a very high level and in a very positive environment to design, develop and produce our optical products as well as to develop the required technology. Today our emblem – the hawk – represents a constant focus on quality, user-friendliness, elegant designs and other attributes that we have consistently developed over many years." A world-leading manufacturer of premium sport optics, SWAROVSKI OPTIK combines cutting-edge industrial technologies with the finest craftsmanship.
The company's priority is to constantly improve, continually amaze its customers and exceed their expectations.

SWAROVSKI OPTIK was able to achieve sustainably positive results even in the economically challenging year of 2009 thanks to numerous effective initiatives taken both externally and within the company itself.
In 2010, SWAROVSKI OPTIK will market attractive innovations and develop new markets and target groups, with a view to continuing profitable growth.
The company has already set new market standards in January of this year with the launch of the EL 42 SWAROVISION binoculars, with utmost sharpness up to the very edge, the ergonomic EL design and a new focusing mechanism. Additional attractive innovations will follow within this year.

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