Dr. Stefan Traeger to leave Jenoptik in February, 2026

27 Nov 2025

Supervisory Board thanks him for past 9 years’ leadership; will now search for his successor.

Dr. Stefan Traeger, President & CEO of Jenoptik since 2017, is to leave the company in February 2026 “by mutual agreement”, the Supervisory Board has announced this week.

“The members of the Supervisory Board thank Dr. Traeger for the work accomplished. Under the leadership of Dr. Traeger, Jenoptik has developed into a profitably growing and increasingly focused photonics group in recent years. He has contributed significantly to focus the Group’s technological expertise on relevant future markets,” said Matthias Wierlacher, Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Sharper focus and acquisitions

Since Traeger took over as President & CEO in 2017, non-photonics businesses have been sold as part of the Group’s strategic realignment, and the core optical-photonics business has been expanded through acquisitions, notably Trioptics in 2020, and most recently Berliner Glas Medical and SwissOptic in 2021.

The largest single investment in the Group’s recent history, the construction of a new factory for innovative micro-optics in Dresden, has significantly strengthened Jenoptik’s operational base. During his tenure, the Group’s revenue rose from around €685 million to over €1.1 billion, last year, the firm stated.

Traeger himself commented, “I am proud and happy that I was able to continue the East German success story Jenoptik in my hometown of Jena and lead it into a new era. Following a successful transformation, I am handing over a healthy and strong company to new hands and wish my successor every success in managing our company.”

No reason for the departure nor future destination for Traeger was stated in this week’s announcement. Jenoptik’s Supervisory Board will now focus on the recruitment of a successor to Traeger. “For that purpose we will start a structured process,” said Wierlacher.