A new chapter for COPA-DATA CEE/ME

With additions to the sales team and its new Managing Director, Johannes Petrowisch, the company is now well positioned for the future.

COPA-DATA is a large independent manufacturer of software for the digitalisation and automation of machines and plants. For over 30 years the Salzburg-based company has been developing the zenon Software Platform for process-oriented and discrete production as well as power generation and distribution.

COPA-DATA CEE/ME has been successfully marketing and selling its software in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East. The company has shown further sales growth in this last year, for the tenth time in a row since its founding in 2009. To successfully continue on this track the team is being reinforced with additional employees.

Seizing the chance for growth in the region

The ongoing growth indicates that a broader positioning of the sales force is required. This is why the Co-founder and previous Managing Director, Alexander Punzenberger, now in the capacity of proprietor of COPA-DATA CEE/ME, will be concentrating on market expansion in the Middle East.

He explained his motivation: “This rapidly growing market is very important for us. More and more infrastructure managers see the added value of having zenon in place as a standard software for the energy and utility sectors. As the first and only independent software platform until now, zenon has recently been approved by the Saudi Arabian electrical power grid provider, Saudi National Grid.”

From the New Year Reinfried Kößlbacher, previously Head of Marketing and Sales Services, will take on a new position of Area Sales Manager for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. COPA-DATA is thus expanding their sales team in order to reinforce their services in these countries.

Johannes Petrowisch already moved to COPA-DATA CEE/ME in November 2019. He had been working at COPA-DATA Headquarters for seven years prior to this. In his last role there he headed up the Corporate Partnerships team. His responsibilities also included managing the Partner Community, strategic partnerships, zenon Certification, IIoT/SaaS and the topic of Smart Cities.

Effective February 1st, 2020, Johannes Petrowisch will be taking over the operative management of COPA-DATA CEE/ME from Alexander Punzenberger. “I’m very grateful to take on this extremely responsible and exciting position,” said Johannes Petrowisch. “I’m looking forward to utilising my previous experience from COPA-DATA to help continue the growth curve COPA-DATA CEE/ME has been seeing up until now.”

“The years of experience he has gained at COPA-DATA will allow for a speedy and straightforward transition,” Alexander Punzenberger is convinced. “I’m excited about the collaboration and that this step will be laying the foundation for a successful future. This will allow a lasting basis to further expand and sustainably continue our success story with zenon in Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This includes reinforcing the development of our locations across the region. We are planning a permanent presence in several of the countries looked after by COPA-DATA CEE/ME. We’re beginning this course with Saudi Arabia this year.”