After more than 20 years of successful company history, we at kothes are setting the course for the future: Lars Kothes, founder and previously sole managing director, is arranging his succession at an early stage, ensuring stability and continuity in the leadership of the family business. In future, his daughter Lisa-Marie Baldus and Manuel Welter will take over responsibility for managing the company.
Lars Kothes will remain with us as a managing director but will gradually withdraw from operational management to focus on the strategic and professional development of the company.
After nine years as Head of International Key Account Management at Würth Industrie Services, Lisa-Marie Baldus joined her father’s family business in 2023. With her sales experience, she initially strengthened our sales team. Over time, she additionally took over the management of Central Services, focusing on HR and controlling. Regarding her new role as Managing Director at kothes, she explains: “I am delighted to lead my father’s company into the future while maintaining his values. It is important to me to think long-term, plan sustainably, and put both our customers and our employees at the centre.”
Manuel Welter began his career ten years ago as a Key Account Manager with us and took over the management of the Sales and Marketing department in 2021. By acquiring a minority stake in kothes GmbH, he is also joining the family business as a shareholder. He emphasises: “It is a great honour for me, as someone outside the family, to be part of this new chapter and to continue kothes GmbH in the spirit of a family business. My goal is to expand our range of services in a targeted manner so that we can continue to offer our customers economically attractive and forward-looking solutions.”
With the decision to expand the management team, the long-term development of the company is secured and the foundation for future challenges in technical documentation and information provision is strengthened. Lars Kothes explains: “Even though I could continue to lead the company alone for many years, it is important to me to arrange the succession early. This ensures that kothes is set up in a stable and future-proof way. The new management team consisting of Lisa and Manuel has all the qualities needed for a stable and successful future.. I personally look forward to focusing on the content-related development of technical documentation again.”
We at kothes look forward to what lies ahead – and to walking this path together with you.