Vertiv today announced that Karsten Winther, President for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), will retire on December 31, 2025. Paul Ryan, currently serving as Chief Procurement Officer, has been appointed as his successor and will assume the role effective January 1, 2026.
“Karsten has made a significant contribution to Vertiv’s growth during his tenure, particularly by strengthening our position in the EMEA region amid complex market dynamics,” said Giordano Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv. “His strong leadership and commitment to both our business and our people, combined with deep market knowledge and an ability to build lasting customer relationships, have been critical to our success.”
Winther will continue in his current role through 2025, ensuring a smooth transition of regional leadership responsibilities. Over the course of his career at Vertiv, he rose from leading regional sales to becoming an executive leader, shaping business strategy, improving operational processes, and enhancing profitability across EMEA.
Paul Ryan brings over 20 years of industry experience, including more than eight years leading Vertiv’s global procurement and supply chain functions as Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain. During this time, he led a major transformation of the procurement function, strengthening supply chain resilience and continuity, improving service levels, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
Before that, Ryan spent over a decade in leadership roles at Emerson Network Power (now Vertiv), serving as Vice President of Operations for EMEA, Vice President and Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, and Vice President of Global Operations and Supply Chain within the company’s Data Center Solutions business.
“Paul’s extensive experience in our industry and technologies, his business acumen, proven track record of leading both regional and global initiatives, and deep knowledge of global supply chain development make him an ideal leader to continue building strong foundations in the EMEA region,” said Albertazzi. “Paul’s internal promotion reflects his impressive achievements and Vertiv’s high-performance culture. I am confident he will accelerate the region’s success and drive further growth.”
Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in Production Management and a Master of Science in Mathematics from the University of Limerick (Ireland). He also completed an Executive Development Program at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (USA).
Following this leadership announcement, Patrick Grainey has assumed the role of Acting Chief Procurement Officer, reporting directly to Albertazzi. He will continue in this capacity until a permanent successor is appointed. Vertiv has already initiated the recruitment process for the position.
Source: CEO.com.pl – Karsten Winther to leave Vertiv, Paul Ryan appointed new EMEA President
