Complexity is rising across electronics manufacturing, and the old “one person on top” model often groans under the weight. From the Productronica 2025 show floor, EMSNOW Publisher Eric Miscoll sits down with Koh Young Europe’s newly appointed leaders—COO Solin Ahmad focused on operations, and CSO Michael Zahn on sales and service—to unpack why they split responsibilities after a long-time head retired and how the structure actually works day to day. What emerges is a candid look at shared leadership: clear scopes, fast decisions, and a culture that treats management as part of the team, not a layer above it.
We dig into the operations backbone—process design, regulatory obligations, finance touchpoints, and the systems that turn strategy into repeatable outcomes. Then we move to the market-facing engine—combining sales with service so promises and support never drift apart. The two leaders explain how they resolve conflicts: defer to domain expertise, listen first, and decide quickly. They also highlight a generational balance that blends senior perspective with high tempo, yielding a steady yet decisive approach to complex bets in SMT and a growing semiconductor backend footprint.
Customers are already feeling the change. With two accessible decision makers, coverage is stronger and escalation routes are shorter. Reporting lines to headquarters stay clean by function, while shared accountability keeps goals aligned. If you care about organizational design, customer experience, and scaling in a regulated, fast-moving market, this conversation offers practical insight you can apply tomorrow—whether you’re rethinking your own structure or partnering with suppliers who are.
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EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org)
