Schaeffler bundles Defense and New Space activities under new CEO
Celia Pelaz takes over the position of CEO Defence & New Space at Schaeffler on October 1, 2026 and becomes Chairwoman of the Management Board of Stech Defence GmbH
Founded in 2025, the Munich-based subsidiary bundles the company's defense and new space activities. Alongside Pelaz, Manfred Homm acts as CTO, while Christopher Köth is currently acting as CFO on an interim basis.
Stech Defence positions itself as a partner to the defense and space industry in Germany and Europe. It is based on the Schaeffler Group's development, manufacturing and industrialization expertise, which is to be used for new solutions in defence and new space.
Pelaz has over 25 years of international experience, including management positions at Eads, Airbus Defense & Space, Hensoldt and most recently as COO at Spire Global. Schaeffler plans to generate around ten percent of its revenue in new growth areas such as humanoid robotics, defense and new space by 2035.
