Hannes Niederhauser

CEO, Kontron

Search every verified Hannes Niederhauser interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Hannes Niederhauser, CEO of Kontron, described the company as a technology firm with over 7,000 employees that connects machines and devices to the internet, focusing on expensive equipment such as high-speed trains, aircraft, and welding robots. In a podcast, he stated that Kontron is one of only three providers in its market and, following Huawei's retreat from the European market, is winning 70 to 80 percent of tenders. He said the company buys hardware firms, adds its own software, and has increased gross margins from 30 to 36 percent in the first six months of the year. Niederhauser noted that Kontron is focused on five key technologies and predicted strong development if even two of them succeed. Niederhauser also discussed past challenges, including a short-seller report in December 2021 that he said was addressed through forensic investigations by Deloitte and an unmodified audit opinion. He mentioned that chip shortages had created 108 million euros in undelivered orders and that paying premium prices on the spot market had reduced EBITDA by 1.1 million euros. In earlier interviews, he highlighted the benefits of the merger between Kontron and S&T, stating that the combined company could offer integrated hardware and software solutions. He also expressed a preference for the Austrian business environment, citing labor freedom and consensual unions, and criticized the ratio of lawyers to engineers in the United States.