After more than two decades at the helm, Dr. Josef “Jupp” Fontaine will step down as Managing Director of the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) this October. The 60-year-old, who has been in charge since 2002, will continue to support the institution for two more years as “Brand Ambassador.” His successor, Dr. Björn Klotzbücher, will assume his role starting 1 July 2025.
Fontaine’s departure marks a significant transition for VLB, which plays a key role in education, research, and innovation in the international brewing and beverage industry. Fontaine’s leadership was instrumental in stabilizing the organization’s member base, driving international expansion, and completing a major new building project at the Seestraße site. His responsibilities covered member relations, seminars, events, and external representation.
The appointment of Klotzbücher follows a formal selection process involving external consultants. The 46-year-old is a brewery engineer with a doctorate from the Technical University Munich/Weihenstephan and has held various leadership roles in the brewing and beverage industry over the past 15 years. He brings substantial operational and managerial experience from his time at companies including MEG (Schwarz Production) and the Privatbrauereien Wittingen/Herrenhausen.
Unlike his predecessor, Klotzbücher is not considered a traditional in-house candidate but is expected to bring fresh impulses to the institution. He will gradually take over Fontaine’s duties until the members' assembly on 6 October. Meanwhile, Gerhard Andreas Schreiber will remain responsible for Finance, IT, Human Resources, and Research as CFO, a role he has held since 2017.
The VLB’s supervisory board, represented by Ulrich Rust, expressed gratitude to Fontaine and confidence in the continuity and further development of the institute under Klotzbücher. The transition is seen as a strategic step to ensure long-term institutional stability and innovation.
