kloeckner.i GmbH, the digitalization subsidiary of Klöckner & Co SE, is expanding its management team with Dr. Franziska Leonhardt.

Due to take office as Chief Operating Officer in September, Ms. Leonhardt, who holds a doctorate in law, will be in charge of areas including strategy, business development as well as legal and compliance. She will also head the Group’s venture capital subsidiary, kloeckner.v.

Ms. Leonhardt was a member of the management team of Rocket Internet SE, where she played a major role in structuring the international business portfolio and the company’s IPO in 2014. Most recently, she advised companies such as private equity financed online and software firms with the international scaling of their business model.

Gisbert Rühl, CEO of Klöckner & Co SE: “Franziska Leonhardt is an outstanding addition to the management of kloeckner.i. Ms. Leonhardt will be able to optimally contribute her in-depth expertise in launching and scaling digital business models to our fast-growing digitalization activities and drive forward the rapid evolution of our web platform for the steel and metal industry. We look forward very much to working together."