With a leadership change at the top, Kansai Helios is restructuring its management to further drive growth, integration and technological strength within the Kansai Paint Group.

From left to right: Bastian Krauss, Mitsuru Masunaga and Frank Gl？ser. They will continue to lead Kansai Helios through its next strategic phase.Source: Kansai Helios

From 1 July, Bastian Krauss will take over as President and Executive Director of the Kansai Helios Group. Krauss, who has held various senior positions within the company for many years, will lead the strategic development in a phase of intensified consolidation and integration. The group, which has been part of Kansai Paint since 2017, has completed several acquisitions in recent years, including the takeover of the Weilburger Coatings Group, which was finalised in 2024.

Through these expansions, Kansai Helios has broadened its product portfolio, strengthened its technological know-how and expanded its market presence in the industrial coatings sector. The leadership transition aims to ensure that synergies from the acquisitions are fully leveraged and global activities are further expanded.

Restructuring of the Management Board

As part of this realignment, Dietmar Jost and Yoshihiro Tanaka, previously President and Executive Director and Executive Director respectively, will take on global leadership roles within the Kansai Paint Group. Jost will assume worldwide responsibility for the ACE Coatings segment, while Tanaka will become Global Business Director for the railway coatings sector.

In addition to Krauss, Mitsuru Masunaga will remain Executive Vice President and Executive Director, while Frank Gl？ser will continue as Executive Director on the newly structured Group Management Board. The new set-up underscores the aim to strengthen the market position by 2030, advance innovation and sustainability, and foster closer collaboration within the Kansai Paint Group.

Focus on synergies and sustainable growth

According to Krauss, Kansai Helios will in this new phase place an even stronger focus on operational excellence, maximising synergies from acquisitions and reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The objective is to further expand its position in the global coatings industry and create long-term value for all stakeholders.