Formel D Management
Marcel Blinde
CEO and Vice President Western Europe & Africa
Marcel Blinde has joined Formel D Group as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in March 2024.
With over 25 years in the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) sector, specializing in energy and process industries, Marcel Blinde brings strategic leadership honed as a former Board Member at IRISNDT. He has also held pivotal roles in various leading companies within the TIC sector, driving growth and innovation in each endeavor.
Skilled in sales, business development, and analytics, in his previous experiences, Marcel elevated revenue, profitability, and market share while prioritizing safety and quality, dedicated to delivering innovative solutions and fostering industry growth.
Marcel Blinde is a Chemical Engineer and holds an MBA from NIMBAS, Bradford – Graduate School of Management, blending technical expertise with business sense.
Denise Hubrach
CFO
Denise Hubrach is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Formel D Group.
Denise joined Formel D in 2014 after more than ten years as a consultant with international tax firms, where she advised a broad range of companies on international taxation, auditing, and corporate strategy. Her consulting background shaped a strong analytical mindset and a business-driven approach to financial leadership.
At Formel D, Denise has held various leadership roles in Finance. She played a key role in building and transforming the global finance organization, including five years as Global Director Finance & Procurement. Her responsibilities have included driving strategic financial transformation, implementing KPI frameworks, and optimizing operational efficiency across international markets.
Denise specializes in change management, corporate finance, and strategic planning.
Christoph Hunold
COO and Group Managing Director
Christoph Hunold joined Formel D in 2016 and serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Group Managing Director, and Member of the Executive Board of the Formel D Group.
He has held international leadership mandates across regional and global levels and has played a decisive role in shaping the group’s operating model and performance framework.
As COO, he leads global operations with full accountability for execution, scalability, and financial and operational performance.
He drives transformation with strategic focus and operational precision, strengthening global delivery capabilities and building resilient, high-performance structures that enable customers to succeed in complex, fast-moving industrial environments.
A qualified lawyer by background, Christoph Hunold stands for decisive leadership, structural clarity, and measurable results.
Michael Sagan
Vice President Americas
Michael Sagan started his career at Formel D in December 2019 as Technical Director in Greenville, SC, and in 2020, he assumed responsibility as Director of Operations for US and Canada.
After receiving a Bachelor of Science’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Michael worked in multiple operations and engineering positions for major Tier 1 suppliers. With 25 years’ international experience in the automotive industry and great leadership skills, he successfully led his team to launch the Group’s first QCC project in the US during the pandemic. Throughout this challenging period, Michael led with great operational expertise to successfully position Formel D for future growth.
Wei Zhang
Vice President Asia
Wei Zhang was appointed Vice President Asia at the beginning of 2020. He began his career at Formel D as a Project Manager in 2012, before enjoying promotion to Technical Director in 2014 and then Director in 2017.
Before joining Formel D, Wei Zhang gained experience in the automotive industry, working for Denso Tianjin as a Quality Engineer, and as a Quality Manager for an EV-powertrain system producer. He successfully completed his Bachelor studies in Electrical Engineering and Automation, as well as IT and Technology. Wei also holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management.
Sonja Hechel
Global Director of Quality
When Sonja Hechel joined Formel D as Global Information Security Manager in 2024, she quickly made her mark by leading the successful implementation and recertification of the Information Security Management System (ISMS) at numerous international locations. Building on this success, she took on a new challenge as Global Director Quality – a role that reflects her leadership skills, technical expertise, and her ability to drive compliance and operational excellence globally.
Sonja’s career path spans diverse business areas and industries. After roles in Controlling and Corporate Audit, she specialized in information security and spent over eight years implementing and developing ISMS frameworks in multinational corporations. Her work contributed to successful TISAX certifications at several German sites and supported the rollout of ISO/IEC 27001.
Her early training in the social sector has also shaped her leadership approach – fostering empathy, clear communication, and a strong sense of responsibility in all aspects of her work.
Kathleen Sauer
Global IT Director
Kathleen Sauer joined Formel D in 2021 as IT Manager of Global Enterprise Applications, and she became Formel D Global Information Technology Director after two successful years.
With a career spanning over two decades, Kathleen has honed her expertise in project management and the seamless execution of both global and local IT initiatives. Her journey in this field began over 20 years ago, and since 2016, she has taken the helm of IT teams across diverse industries, including chemical, IT business services, and consulting.
Sebastian Ludy
Vdynamics Executive Manager
Sebastian Ludy began his career in the Formel D Group in 2020 as a multi-project manager for various projects related to virtual test environments for embedded systems testing at our subsidiary Vdynamics GmbH.
Beginning of 2023, he became the Executive Manager at Vdynamics and since then has been responsible for the steady growth – nationally and internationally – of our subsidiary, which specializes in verification and validation of control devices. The services range from simulation to vehicle-testing.
Sebastian Ludy is a Mechanical Engineer specializing in vehicle mechatronics.