German office furniture manufacturer Assmann has strengthened its management team with Jan Pahnke and Jan-Hendrik Wittenberg. Pahnke takes charge of product management and engineering, while Wittenberg assumes responsibility for marketing. The family-owned company is filling two key positions that will help determine which products Assmann develops in the future and how the brand positions itself in the market.
With Jan Pahnke, Assmann is bringing in a manager who already knows the office furniture industry from several perspectives. The 35-year-old previously worked for Sedus Stoll AG and subsequently Sedus Systems GmbH. He spent seven years in product management and most recently worked for three years as a design thinking coach, developing and supporting innovation projects while advancing a user-centred approach to product development.
Pahnke trained as an industrial management assistant and holds further qualifications in marketing and business administration. He is also a certified workplace expert through the Akademie Mensch&Büro. At Assmann, he will lead product management and engineering while working with his team on the strategic development of the company's product portfolio. His experience in modern workplaces is relevant to a market increasingly shaped by integrated spatial concepts rather than individual furniture products.
For marketing, Assmann is bringing in a manager from a different industry. Jan-Hendrik Wittenberg joins from Oknoplast Germany, a subsidiary of the Poland-based building products manufacturer. The 44-year-old spent almost twelve years as Head of Marketing, overseeing strategic brand management, all marketing activities and corporate communications for the German market.
Before joining Oknoplast, Wittenberg worked as a sponsorship manager for the Bitburger brewery group. A graduate in sports economics, he was responsible for activities including football sponsorships and worked closely with product management, trade marketing and public relations. At Assmann, he will oversee strategic brand development, all B2B and B2C marketing activities and corporate communications. His responsibilities explicitly include positioning the brand for an increasingly digital and AI-driven future.
The two appointments come at a time when Assmann is changing its approach to the market. In June 2026, the manufacturer announced that it would not exhibit at ORGATEC 2026. Instead, the company intends to focus more closely on its specialist dealer partners, events at its own showrooms and integrated office solutions. This provides an interesting strategic backdrop for the leadership appointments, although Assmann has not established a direct connection between the hires and its trade fair decision.
Managing Director Karla Aßmann describes the two executives as experienced additions who fit the family business and have a feel for what the brand and the medium-sized company need. Their expertise is expected to help Assmann achieve its strategic objectives. However, the personnel announcement does not specify which projects or initiatives will follow.
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German office furniture manufacturer Assmann has strengthened its management team with Jan Pahnke and Jan-Hendrik Wittenberg. Pahnke takes charge of product management and engineering, while Wittenberg assumes responsibility for marketing. The family-owned company is filling two key positions that will help determine which products Assmann develops in the future and how the brand positions itself in the market.
With Jan Pahnke, Assmann is bringing in a manager who already knows the office furniture industry from several perspectives. The 35-year-old previously worked for Sedus Stoll AG and subsequently Sedus Systems GmbH. He spent seven years in product management and most recently worked for three years as a design thinking coach, developing and supporting innovation projects while advancing a user-centred approach to product development.
Pahnke trained as an industrial management assistant and holds further qualifications in marketing and business administration. He is also a certified workplace expert through the Akademie Mensch&Büro. At Assmann, he will lead product management and engineering while working with his team on the strategic development of the company's product portfolio. His experience in modern workplaces is relevant to a market increasingly shaped by integrated spatial concepts rather than individual furniture products.
For marketing, Assmann is bringing in a manager from a different industry. Jan-Hendrik Wittenberg joins from Oknoplast Germany, a subsidiary of the Poland-based building products manufacturer. The 44-year-old spent almost twelve years as Head of Marketing, overseeing strategic brand management, all marketing activities and corporate communications for the German market.
Before joining Oknoplast, Wittenberg worked as a sponsorship manager for the Bitburger brewery group. A graduate in sports economics, he was responsible for activities including football sponsorships and worked closely with product management, trade marketing and public relations. At Assmann, he will oversee strategic brand development, all B2B and B2C marketing activities and corporate communications. His responsibilities explicitly include positioning the brand for an increasingly digital and AI-driven future.
The two appointments come at a time when Assmann is changing its approach to the market. In June 2026, the manufacturer announced that it would not exhibit at ORGATEC 2026. Instead, the company intends to focus more closely on its specialist dealer partners, events at its own showrooms and integrated office solutions. This provides an interesting strategic backdrop for the leadership appointments, although Assmann has not established a direct connection between the hires and its trade fair decision.
Managing Director Karla Aßmann describes the two executives as experienced additions who fit the family business and have a feel for what the brand and the medium-sized company need. Their expertise is expected to help Assmann achieve its strategic objectives. However, the personnel announcement does not specify which projects or initiatives will follow.