Generational change at JBL

The aquatics and pond supplies company JBL witnessed a change of leadership at the start of the year. The third generation of the family took over the reins, ensuring the continued existence of JBL as a family firm. On 4 January, Stella Kaltenmeier-Böhme was appointed managing director of the company, which was established in 1960. Her father, Roland Böhme, succeeded his father, company founder Joachim Böhme, at the helm in 1991 and will support his daughter as strategy director. Her two brothers are also partners in the company. One of the primary aims of Stella Kaltenmeier-Böhme is to expand digitalisation at the company, according to a press release. Stella Kaltenmeier-Böhme completed a master's degree in International SME Management and then spent four years working for a medium-sized company in Heidelberg. She underwent practical training in almost all departments at JBL before acquiring valuable experience during a further six months with the JBL field sales team, where she became familiar with the pet product retail sector. She has kept an aquarium since childhood. In 2016, she gained her first experience of aquatic research in the rain forest on JBL's Venezuela expedition. Stella Kaltenmeier-Böhme aims to further this knowledge on the next expedition to Colombia in 2022.