Wrightbus names Axel Joachim Maschka, former Hyundai MOBIS Executive, as new CEO

Wrightbus has named Axel Joachim Maschka as its new CEO. Axel’s experience includes senior roles with Hyundai Mobis, Valeo, Volvo, Continental, Leclanché, Bosch and Mercedes-Benz.

Before joining Wrightbus, Axel J. Maschka (59) served as Executive Vice President and Board Member at Hyundai MOBIS, the parts and components arm of the Hyundai Motor Group. He is also Founder and President of AMA-GROUP SAS, focusing on electric mobility transition and strategic advisory. Previously, he was Senior VP at Valeo. He has served as Independent Board Director at Leclanché SA and CLEPA.

Axel J. Maschka joins Wrightbus as CEO

“Axel is focused on strengthening the processes and systems that will ensure Wrightbus delivers products of the highest quality”, the bus manufacturer states.

+Wrightbus expects +1,200 buses produced in 2025, +20% on a record-breaking 2024. The company has recently launched the second-generation Electroliner battery-electric bus and entered deal with Kazenmaier to offer leasing solutions for zero-emission buses in Germany. A £150 million finance package from HSBC UK was achieved to support the company’s growth plans. What is also interesting, besides the expansion on European markets such as Germany, Wrightbus is also widening the scope of its portfolio to include short electric buses as well as coaches (in 2026), while repowering is becoming part of the business, too.

He takes over from Jean-Marc Gales, who ran Wrightbus for two-and-a-half years. The business was bought out of administration by Jo Bamford in 2019 and has grown from 43 employees to 2,300, Wrightbus sums up. And adds that “More jobs are expected to be created across the company’s operations in Ballymena and Malaysia, while a key priority will be to improve reliability by building resilience in the supply chain and expanding its after-sales service”.

Axel J. Maschka states: “I am delighted to be taking over at Wrightbus and I have been given an extremely warm welcome – from owner Jo Bamford through to the people I have met on the shop floor. The Wrightbus of today is very different from the one that launched in 1946, but we must hold onto those traditional values where we treat our employees like family and our customers like royalty. Every post I’ve held has focused on the customer, putting them at the centre of everything we do, and I will continue this theme at Wrightbus. We offer so much alongside the actual bus itself,” he explained. “Being part of the HydraB Group gives us access to a whole portfolio of companies offering everything from depot infrastructure and charging to service and maintenance. I firmly believe we have the right people, the right skills and the right facilities to develop this historic company and put it on the world stage. Offering a complete solution really helps us stand out in the market.”