New CEO for HOLON: Markus Schlitt takes the lead on the road to series production

Paderborn/Munich. April 29, 2025. HOLON is forging ahead with series production and the market launch of its fully electric autonomous shuttle named HOLON urban under new leadership: Markus Schlitt will become CEO and Managing Director of the joint subsidiary of the BENTELER Group and TASARU Mobility Investments as of May 1, 2025. He succeeds Henning von Watzdorf, who is currently in talks about a new management role within BENTELER.

Ralf Göttel, CEO of BENTELER, commented: "Development of our autonomous shuttle is in full swing. Since the end of last year, the first prototypes have been successfully undergoing test drives. Step by step, our vision of revolutionizing local public transport is becoming reality. Markus Schlitt is a proven expert in intelligent urban mobility solutions. His expertise will help to further consolidate the ecosystem around our vehicles. We are delighted to have him as CEO of HOLON." 

New management team to drive market launch of the HOLON urban

Markus Schlitt joins HOLON from the Yunex Traffic Group, a global leader in intelligent traffic systems, where he successfully served as CEO for several years. Prior to that, he was CEO of the Intelligent Traffic Systems business unit at Siemens Mobility for seven years. At HOLON, he will strengthen the management team around Clemens Rengier (CFO) and Flavio Friesen (CTO).

Ralf Göttel continued: "Over the past few years, we’ve successfully driven the development of our autonomous shuttle using BENTELER’s collective expertise. This generational change in management marks the next phase for HOLON. Together, Markus Schlitt, Clemens Rengier and Flavio Friesen will ensure that our mover integrates seamlessly into the existing infrastructure of our customers worldwide."

“My sincere thanks go to Henning von Watzdorf. During his time at HOLON, he was responsible for key milestones. These include the investment agreement with TASARU Mobility Investments, the decision for the first production site in Jacksonville, Florida, the successful launch and test phase of the first prototype, as well as the first purchase decisions from transportation companies”, Ralf Göttel concluded. 

The HOLON urban

The company recently revealed the name for the first variant of its autonomous shuttle: HOLON urban. 

The HOLON urban is one of the first autonomous, fully accessible vehicles of its kind. Developed for local public transport, ridepooling services or campus mobility solutions, it combines safety, comfort and innovative technology. The HOLON urban meets the highest automotive standards with a capacity of up to 15 people and a top speed of 60 km/h. In 2025, the HOLON urban will be tested on the streets of Hamburg, Germany, as part of the first pilot project.