Esko appoints new president

Mattias Bystrom will replace Udo Panenka as president of Esko on 1 January 2019. The latter is leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.

Joakim Weidemanis, executive vice president of Esko’s parent company Danaher, said: “We thank Udo for his excellent service to Danaher over the past ten years, including leading Esko since 2015. Under Udo’s leadership, Esko repositioned the flexo plate production business through innovation and moved to a new site in Itzehoe. Udo also built up Esko’s business serving brand owners, including the acquisitions of MediaBeacon and Blue, and initiated Esko’s software migration to software-as-a-service (SaaS).” Panenka’s replacement has more than 20 years of general management experience - most recently he was CEO of FlexLink, a $300m factory automation solutions business with headquarters in Sweden. Bystrom has also worked for Danaher in the past - he has eight years of prior experience in different leadership roles in what was then known as Danaher Motion., which included leading the Automated Guided Vehicle business, primarily a software systems enterprise. Earlier in his career, Bystrom co-founded two digital start-ups. “With his unique management and technology background, Mattias is ideally suited to lead Esko now. I am very happy to welcome him back to Danaher and excited to place him at the head of this important business that is simplifying the packaging value chain,” added Weidemanis. Of his new role Bystrom said: “Esko has incredible potential because digitisation, automation and connectivity have gained momentum in the packaging industry in the past few years. It is my priority to ensure that Esko delivers stronger innovation that is increasingly valuable to our customers.”