Formally, the holding shares of the deceased will initially be held by his wife Nadia Thiele and transferred to the family foundation by virtue of his will. The establishment of the foundation is to be completed by the end of this year and implemented by the executor of the will and long-time confidant of Heinz Hermann Thiele, the auditor and tax consultant Robin Brühmüller. Until then, the shares will be under execution of the will. Brühmüller: "Heinz Hermann Thiele’s wish was to secure Knorr-Bremse in the long term. That is precisely what the establishment of the family foundation will do."

"The family foundation safeguards my father’s life’s work and lays the foundation for Knorr-Bremse’s future success through continuity and stability," says Julia Thiele-Schürhoff, who has been a member of the Company since 2002 and of the Supervisory Board in 2016. She also established and managed the company’s sustainability division many years ago. Since 2005 she has headed up the non-profit association Knorr-Bremse Global Care e.V.

The Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse welcomes the bequest stipulated in the will. Prof. Dr. Klaus Mangold expresses his thanks on behalf of the Supervisory Board: "With this farsighted decision, Heinz Hermann Thiele posthumously underscores his role as one of Germany’s outstanding entrepreneurial personalities and secures the basis for the future successful development of the company." Speaking on behalf of the Executive Board, Dr. Jan Michael Mrosik said: "The decisions taken will continue to ensure stability and continuity at Knorr-Bremse and enable us to successfully pursue our course of dynamic and profitable growth in our core strategic areas in the future."