Change within GFA leadership: Christian Dürr takes over from Heiko Weißleder

In April, Christian Dürr joined the management team of GFA Consulting Group GmbH and its parent organisation, GFA Holding AG. The qualified business economist is now gradually taking over the areas of responsibility previously held by long-standing Financial Managing Director Dr Heiko Weißleder, who is leaving GFA at the end of June. Dürr will then head GFA together with Managing Directors Dr Ilona Schadl and Anja Desai.

As Dr Heiko Weißleder’s successor, Christian Dürr will in future head Finance, Administration, Quality Management and Compliance. He brings more than 20 years of professional experience to the role, having held positions in the automotive, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Most recently, Dürr acted as Vice President Service Unit Europe at the Hamburg-based chemical company Helm AG. He also looks back at extensive professional experience abroad, holding several international positions.

The 47-year-old has particular expertise in the areas of change management and in establishing new organisational structures within internationally operating companies. “I want to use my experience to help make GFA more efficient and to secure the group’s long-term economic success,” says Christian Dürr.

Dr Heiko Weißleder will step down from the management board of GFA Consulting Group GmbH and the board of GFA Holding AG on 30 June for personal reasons, after more than 18 years. He will remain closely associated with GFA as a shareholder: “I will continue to be part of a reliable ownership structure that has enabled GFA to maintain its independence and flexibility for more than 40 years.”

Continuity is thus also guaranteed for GFA’s partners and clients – for you, the change in management will not alter their usual business relationships, working methods, or GFA’s thematic focus and sustainability-centred stance.

This purpose-oriented approach of GFA GROUP was also a key reason for Christian Dürr’s career move during these particularly dynamic times: “This challenge appealed to me,” he says. “Particularly in global development cooperation, we must constantly find new answers to how we position ourselves successfully for the future and make an effective contribution to sustainable development,” says Christian Dürr.