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Ralph Ellinger appointed as CEO of CYMOT
A household name and a much-loved Namibian brand, CYMOT is one of the country’s success stories.
After serving as MD/CEO for close to 20 years, Axel Theissen has recently decided to hand the reins over to Ralph Ellinger.
Everybody in the CYMOT circle knows Ralph, who has been with the company since 2002. He studied business management and holds a CIMA qualification. Prior to being appointed as CEO, Ralph served as the COO of CYMOT for ten years.
“I wish to congratulate Ralph on his appointment and I can guarantee that he will live up to this important role with the same enthusiasm and professionalism as I have. CYMOT has grown significantly during recent years, which is why I believe that this is the ideal time for me to step down,” Axel Theissen said.
“Having spent all my working life at CYMOT, I feel honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this company and its fantastic team. As we plot the future and find ways of continuing the legacy of CYMOT, I wish to congratulate Axel on his tenure as CEO and the many significant achievements over the past 25 years,” Ralph Ellinger said in return.
Axel will continue serving as Chairman of the Group, focusing more on business strategy as well as assisting CYMOT’s sister companies with their strategic business plans. Furthermore, Axel wishes to devote more time to the Namibian Cycling Federation which recently voted him president for the third consecutive year.
Next year CYMOT Namibia will celebrate its 75th anniversary. The company derived the name CYMOT from CYcles and MOTors and started trading in 1948. Last year two further CYMOT branches were opened in Gobabis and Ondangwa, bringing the total number of Namibian branches to 18. CYMOT has its head office and central warehouse in Windhoek and maintains on-site PPE stores at four leading Namibian mines. CYMOT also has a retail branch and warehouse in Lobito, Angola, and operates on a wholesale basis in South Africa.