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26 Mar 2026
…as firm announces its new CEO will be Dominic Dorfner from Semikron Danfoss.
Diversified photonics company Jenoptik has this week declared that it expects “profitable growth for 2026” after last year’s trading was compromised by a “difficult market environment”. The Jena, Germany-headquartered firm has also announced that its new CEO will be Dominic Dorfner from Semikron Danfoss, who is picking up the baton from Stefan Traeger.Highlights from latest trading statement
Dr. Prisca Havranek-Kosicek, Jenoptik’s Chief Financial Officer commented on the latest results and the company’s expectations for 2026: “The fiscal year 2025 was marked by various challenges for Jenoptik, particularly from the semiconductor equipment and automotive markets. Nevertheless, we have continued to focus on our relevant growth potentials in our core markets of semiconductors, medical technology, metrology and smart mobility, and we look to the future with optimism thanks to our strong growth platforms,” she said.
Dr. Ralf Kuschnereit, member of the firm’s Executive Board, added, “Since the beginning of 2026, we have seen significant improvement in demand, particularly in our OEM businesses, and here especially in the semiconductor equipment sector. On this basis, we are confident that we will return to the profitable growth path in 2026.”
Outlook for 2026: profitable growthThe photonics group Jenoptik recorded a 6.3 percent decline in revenue to € 1,046 M in the past fiscal year (prior year: € 1,116 M) in an overall difficult market environment.
The Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Biophotonics recorded a significant increase in revenue, driven primarily by the medical technology and defense sectors. The SBU Smart Mobility Solutions also posted strong growth.
By contrast, revenue of the SBU Semiconductor & Advanced Manufacturing was below the prior year’s level due to fluctuations in the lithography supply chain, whilst revenue of the SBU Metrology & Production Solutions was also down on the prior year influenced by the continuing difficult market situation in the automotive industry.
The company stated that the outlook for the current fiscal year “remains affected by high market uncertainty due to macroeconomic and political developments that are difficult to predict”. For the Jenoptik Group, the Executive Board anticipates that both an increase in revenue and an improvement in the EBITDA margin can be achieved in 2026 given the strong growth platforms in the core markets of semiconductors, medical technology, metrology and smart mobility.
The Executive Board expects revenue growth in the single-digit percentage range for the current fiscal year 2026 (prior year: € 1,046 M). It also anticipates that the EBITDA margin will be between 19.0 and 21.0 percent (prior year: 18.4 percent). Capital expenditure is expected to be slightly below the prior year’s level of € 77.4 M in 2026.
Dominic Dorfner to become new CEOAt its meeting on 24 March, Jenoptik’s Supervisory Board appointed Dr. Dominic Dorfner to be the company’s CEO for a three-year term. He succeeds Dr. Stefan Traeger, who left the company on February 15, 2026. Dorfner is expected to take up his new position by October, 2026.
Related news: Andreas Krey joins Jenoptik Supervisory Board
Dorfner, born in 1980, is currently President & CEO of Semikron Danfoss, a global leader in power electronics with revenue exceeding € 1 billion and more than 4,000 employees. In this role, he was responsible for the company’s global strategic and operational leadership.
Daniela Mattheus, Chair of Jenoptik’s Supervisory Board, commented, “With Dr. Dorfner, we are gaining an internationally-experienced CEO with strong technological expertise and leadership skills. He stands for strategic clarity and consistent execution and has repeatedly proven his ability to translate technology into sustainable growth and market position. We are convinced that, together with Dr. Prisca Havranek-Kosicek and Dr. Ralf Kuschnereit, he will successfully lead Jenoptik on our continued journey as a leading, focused photonics group.”
Dorfner commented: “I began my career in an optics laboratory over 20 years ago, and soon I will have the opportunity to help shape the future of photonics as CEO alongside the outstanding team at Jenoptik. To this day, I am driven by the same ambition: to generate real impact through technology and to develop sustainable growth from it. I am very much looking forward to getting to know our customers, partners, employees, and shareholders.”
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