SMAG Appoints Alexander Guntzel as New COO to Drive Operational Excellence

SMAG Mobile Antenna Masts AG, a leading European developer and manufacturer of mission-critical mobile antenna mast systems for military and defense applications, has appointed Alexander Guntzel as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and member of the Management Board, effective 16 November 2026. Guntzel succeeds Kai Oppermann, who will step down from the Management Board by mutual agreement at the end of 15 November 2026. The Supervisory Board’s decision brings an experienced industry expert with over 20 years of operational management experience to SMAG’s leadership team. Guntzel’s expertise in industrialisation, scaling complex production processes, and managing international manufacturing companies will be instrumental in SMAG’s next phase of operational development. As COO, he will be responsible for production and quality management, with a focus on scaling manufacturing, ensuring reliable production processes, and enhancing quality management to meet the demanding requirements of defense and security customers.

Esra Himmel, Chair of the Supervisory Board, commented, “With Alexander Guntzel, we are gaining a Management Board member with extensive operational experience and hands-on expertise in the industrialisation and scaling of complex production processes. Quality, reliability and the ability to deliver are crucial to our customers in the defense and security sectors. We very much look forward to working with him.” Ulrich Feindt, Chair of the Management Board, added, “Our antenna mast systems perform demanding tasks in mobile communications – particularly in defense and security applications. With Alexander Guntzel, we aim to further develop our industrial capabilities in a targeted manner and align our manufacturing with our customers’ requirements. His experience in production ramp-ups and the operational management of complex industrial companies will be a valuable addition to our team.” Feindt also thanked Kai Oppermann for his dedication and contribution to SMAG’s development.

Guntzel joins SMAG from the investment firm AEQUITA, where he served as Director Operations since 2022, and concurrently held the role of COO at the Willi Elbe Group. His background includes transforming industrial companies and establishing, ramping up, and further developing production sites. SMAG, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, is a trusted partner to more than 50 defense primes, OEMs, and government agencies worldwide, including 15 NATO militaries, and employs approximately 170 people. The company generates substantially all of its net sales from defense. For more information, view the original release on www.newmediawire.com.