Redmond/Baden-Baden, August 16, 2010: Combionic, a market leader in Interaction Management software and winner of the Microsoft Government Innovation award, announced today that Christoph Wilfert is to become its new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
The appointment was made by the board of directors of Viprocom Holding AG, Combionic’s Swiss holding company.
Wilfert, 44, joins Combionic from Microsoft Corporation, where he spent almost 7 years in a range of general management, operations, sales and marketing positions. Prior to taking up his new post, he spent four years heading up Microsoft’s Corporate Accounts business in the US as well as overseeing its US Small and Midmarket Marketing activities.
Before moving to the US, Wilfert served as Business and Marketing Officer (COO) for Microsoft Germany from December 2003. He was also a valued member of Geneva Technology Ltd.’s management team, before the successful UK start-up was acquired by Convergys, which appointed him Vice President and General Manager of its EMEA operation based in Cambridge, UK. Wilfert also served as Senior Vice President Global Marketing at Siemens Communication Devices.
Dr.-Ing. Karl-Heinz Sternemann, Chief Technology Officer and member of the Viprocom Executive Board, said that Wilfert had a proven track record in driving global market expansion, but also demonstrated strong executive and personal qualities.
“We could not be more pleased with the appointment. Christoph’s experience in turning technical innovation to commercial success on a broad scale as well as his executive experience is critical to accelerate Combionic’s market leadership” he stated.
Wilfert said that he was looking forward to taking up his new position. “Combionic is well positioned to define Interaction Management as a new, forward-looking field and challenge current, inefficient approaches to enterprise search. I am excited to join its leadership team and opportunity to accelerate its success,” he explained.
Wilfert will assume his new role from September 4th. He will take over from Karl-Heinz Sternemann, who will continue to serve on the executive board as the group’s Chief Technology Officer.
