The news of Michel Hunkeler's death at the age of 54 has sent shockwaves through the digital converting industry. Former CEO of the Swiss company Hunkeler, which he led between 2016 and January 2023, the man leaves behind an image of a committed, discreet but influential leader, unanimously praised for his human and professional qualities.
Hunkeler, a century-old family business
Specializing in finishing equipment for digital web and sheet-fed printing, Hunkeler is a family business founded in 1922 by Josef Hunkeler. Based in Wikon, in the canton of Lucerne, it evolved independently for a long time before becoming a acquired by the Müller Martini Group in December 2023 in an undisclosed amount.
The two companies had historic links. Hans Müller, founder of Müller Martini in 1946, had started out at Hunkeler as a mechanical engineer during the Second World War. This long-standing partnership was transformed into a capital alliance one year after Michel Hunkeler's departure.
A member of the founding family, Michel Hunkeler succeeded his father at the head of the company in 2016. For seven years, he had been responsible for the company's strategic management, helping to consolidate Hunkeler's position in international markets, particularly in the transactional printing, direct mail and on-demand publishing segments.
Michel Hunkeler is stepping down in January 2023, to be succeeded by Daniel Erni, who has been Global Sales Director since 2016.
Respect and emotion in the grapahic world
Michel Hunkeler is remembered not only for the positions he held, but also as a leader who was respected for his sense of fairness and proximity to his teams.
Among the dozens and dozens of messages posted on social networks, Ricoh Europe states: "He was always a positive ambassador for our sector and every opportunity to spend time in his company was appreciated.
He was a particularly prominent figure at Hunkeler Innovationdays, an event that has gone from strength to strength over the years.". He emphasizes Michel Hunkeler's ability to treat everyone as an equal. "great man, fair, determined and customer-focused"Our relationship has always been based on mutual respect, knowing full well what it means to be the CEO of an innovative, family-run company, investing himself fully in the business and pursuing innovation with passion and enthusiasm." he wrote on LinkedIn.
