Thomas Schenkirsch
SHYFAbout Thomas Schenkirsch
Thomas Schenkirsch is not a director of The Shyft Group (SHYF); he does not appear among SHYF’s directors in the 2024 or 2025 definitive proxy statements . He is a senior executive at Aebi Schmidt Holding AG, serving on the Executive Board as Chief Group Services and Deputy CEO (previously Head of Group Strategic Development and CFO). He was a named media contact and signatory on Aebi Schmidt’s SEC communications surrounding the Aebi–Shyft merger, indicating a central integration/financing role .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aebi Schmidt Group | Chief Group Services; Deputy CEO | 2025–present | Executive Board; group services oversight |
| Aebi Schmidt Group | Head, Group Strategic Development | 2022–2025 | Strategy; M&A; media/signatory for merger-related financing |
| Aebi Schmidt Group | Chief Financial Officer | 2016–2022 | Group finance, IFRS/US GAAP reporting |
| Aebi Schmidt Group | Director, Group Controlling | 2008–2016 | FP&A/controlling leadership |
| Von Roll | Head of Corporate Controlling | 2005–2008 | Corporate controlling |
| PerkinElmer | Finance roles (Analyst/Treasury) | 1999–2005 | Finance/treasury |
Education: Diplom-Betriebswirt (BA) – Duale Hochschule Baden‑Württemberg (1996–1999) .
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aebi Schmidt Group | Executive Board member (Deputy CEO/Chief Group Services) | Current |
| Public company directorships | — | None disclosed; not listed on Aebi Schmidt Board or SHYF Board |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| SHYF Board seat | Not a director; not listed in 2024/2025 DEF 14A director rosters |
| Committee assignments at SHYF | None (not on board) |
| Independence status (SHYF) | N/A. SHYF states all committees are 100% independent and all directors other than the CEO are independent; Schenkirsch is not among them |
| Attendance (SHYF) | N/A. 2024 proxy reports directors met attendance thresholds; Schenkirsch not a director |
| Years of service on SHYF board | N/A |
Fixed Compensation
Not disclosed at SHYF (non-director). SHYF director compensation policies and tables apply to listed non‑employee directors only; Schenkirsch is not included .
Performance Compensation
Not disclosed at SHYF (non-director). No PSU/RSU director grants reported for him in SHYF proxies .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Post‑merger, multiple SHYF directors sit on Aebi Schmidt’s Board (potential interlocks: James Sharman, Michael Dinkins, Angela Freeman, Terri Pizzuto, Paul Mascarenas), while Schenkirsch serves on Aebi’s Executive Board. This creates information-flow linkages between SHYF’s legacy independent directors and Aebi’s management team .
| Individual | SHYF Role | Aebi Schmidt Role |
|---|---|---|
| James Sharman | SHYF Board Chair | Aebi Schmidt Board member (independent) |
| Michael Dinkins | SHYF Audit Chair | Aebi Schmidt Board member (independent) |
| Angela Freeman | SHYF Comp Chair | Aebi Schmidt Board member (independent) |
| Terri Pizzuto | SHYF Audit member | Aebi Schmidt Board member (independent) |
| Paul Mascarenas | SHYF Gov Chair | Aebi Schmidt Board member (independent) |
| Thomas Schenkirsch | — | Aebi Schmidt Executive Board (Deputy CEO/Chief Group Services) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and accounting leadership (CFO; group controlling), IFRS/US GAAP, treasury, financial consolidation, M&A, restructuring—aligned with transaction execution and integration roles .
- Executive integration/financing: named signatory and media contact for Aebi’s $600m merger financing and merger communications (transaction execution, capital structure) .
Equity Ownership
- No SHYF beneficial ownership or director equity reported for Schenkirsch in SHYF’s 2024/2025 proxies; he is not listed among officers/directors in those filings .
Governance Assessment
- Role clarity: Schenkirsch is an Aebi Schmidt executive (Deputy CEO/Chief Group Services), not an SHYF director. Any reference to him as an “independent director at SHYF” is unsupported by SHYF’s 2024–2025 proxies .
- Independence/conflicts: As a current Aebi Schmidt executive, he would not be considered independent for purposes of SHYF’s fully independent board committees should he ever be proposed for committee service; SHYF asserts 100% independent committees and independence for all directors other than the CEO . His transaction leadership and media/signatory status underscore a principal‑side role for Aebi, which would require careful conflict management if interfacing with SHYF governance .
- Related‑party exposure: SHYF reports no related‑party transactions requiring board approval in 2023–2024; any dealings with Aebi during the merger were managed under formal transaction processes, with no separate related‑party items disclosed. No Schenkirsch‑specific RPTs appear in SHYF proxies .
- Engagement/attendance: Not applicable to SHYF; board attendance metrics in 2023/2024 relate to sitting directors only .
- Signal value: His presence as Head of Group Strategic Development (then Deputy CEO/Chief Group Services) and media contact for the $600m syndicated loan tied to the merger closing signals central involvement in financing and integration planning—useful for assessing post‑close execution risk and capital structure direction of the combined company .
RED FLAGS
- Mislabeling risk: Market references calling him an independent SHYF director are inaccurate per SHYF proxies; treat as Aebi executive with potential counterparty alignment, not SHYF board oversight .
- Conflict considerations: Executive leadership at Aebi during a negotiated merger with SHYF; if later proposed for any governance role at the combined entity, independence constraints and committee eligibility would need scrutiny given SHYF’s stated independence standards .
Notes on Sources
- SHYF governance, board composition, independence, committee structures, attendance, and related‑party disclosure: SHYF 2024 and 2025 DEF 14A .
- Aebi Schmidt roles and governance: Aebi Schmidt corporate governance page (Executive Board and Board lists) and Bloomberg profile (Deputy CEO/Chief Group Services) .
- Transaction communications/financing where Schenkirsch is named: SEC Rule 425 filings and Shyft/Aebi press materials .
- Background/career datapoints and education: RocketReach and TheOrg profiles (directory sources; treat as secondary corroboration) .