HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, has named Christian Sobottka as President of the Automotive Division, effective January 1, 2021. He will report to President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Mauser.
Sobottka will also be appointed to HARMAN’s Senior Leadership Committee, the company said in a statement. Sobottka will be based out of HARMAN’s offices in Garching, Germany.
Most recently, Sobottka was the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Executive Board at Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH.
“With his decades-long career as an automotive industry executive and deep expertise in leading teams across functions including engineering, sales, marketing and operations, Christian brings significant leadership and strategic value to HARMAN’s management team,” said Mauser. “As a transformative industry veteran, Christian has great experience in delivering incredible results, driving business growth and managing key Tier-1 customer and partner relationships. As Christian assumes responsibility of our connected car, car audio, and connected vehicle services teams, I am confident he will lead them to greater success as we push forward in our vision to enhance mobility experiences for one and all.”
“HARMAN’s market domination and growth in the automotive space is a testament to the remarkable vision, commitment and innovation of its leadership and teams around the world,” said Sobottka. “I have long admired and fully share the company’s strategic focus on developing technologies and meaningful collaborations that improve in-car experiences for drivers and passengers. I am looking forward to getting to work and leading HARMAN’s automotive business to newer heights as the industry continues its shift from RPM to EPM or ‘Experiences Per Mile.’”
Sobottka has over 20 years of international experience in the automotive industry. Prior to his recent responsibility as CEO and CTO of Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH, he held leadership roles across a variety of departments, including engineering, sales, marketing and operations within Bosch and its portfolio of companies.
Sobottka holds a Dipl.-Ing in Electrical Engineering from the Technische Universität Darmstadt, and an Executive MBA from the University of Bradford.
HARMAN International designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions, and services supporting the Internet of Things. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
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