Wiesbaden, Germany, November 2, 2026
The Supervisory Board of KuppingerCole Analysts has appointed Oliver Schnürle, Chief Revenue Officer and a member of the Management Board, as Chief Executive Officer, effective November 1, 2026. The appointment completes a long-planned succession. He takes over from Berthold Kerl, who will remain on the Management Board until January 31, 2027, and will then continue to focus on research at KuppingerCole.
The Supervisory Board has prepared this succession together with Berthold Kerl and the shareholders over many months. We warmly thank Berthold for six years of leadership in which KuppingerCole grew stronger and gained global recognition as a prominent European voice in the challenging space of identity in the age of AI. Oliver Schnürle has proven to be a key contributor to our Management Board, and he has our full confidence and support as he leads the company into its next phase.
Michel Roux, Supervisory Board Chairman, KuppingerCole Analysts
Leading KuppingerCole has been a privilege. My thanks go to our team and to the clients, partners, and community who have placed their trust in us over many years. In Oliver Schnürle, the company gains a CEO who has shaped our strategy from within and understands our market from every perspective. I look forward to continuing to work alongside him as he takes KuppingerCole forward.
Berthold Kerl, Member of the Management Board, KuppingerCole Analysts
Under Berthold Kerl's leadership since 2020, KuppingerCole has extended its research from identity and access management into cybersecurity and AI security, and is today Europe's leading independent analyst firm in these fields. Its European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) has become the central meeting point of Europe's identity community, and the firm's research and advisory work supports organizations across Europe and beyond.
Before joining KuppingerCole in May 2024, Oliver Schnürle spent many years in the software industry, worked on consulting projects, and organized international research and scientific conferences. His experience spans all three sides of the market KuppingerCole works in: the technology providers it evaluates, the organizations it advises, and the expert communities it brings together at its events. As Chief Revenue Officer, he aligned KuppingerCole's sales, marketing, and customer success around the needs of its clients. Now, as CEO, he brings that breadth to KuppingerCole as a whole.
I want to thank Berthold for his leadership and for a carefully prepared handover. As AI agents and new regulation reshape identity and security, organizations need independent guidance more than ever, and we will deliver it with a distinctly European perspective. We will make our research easier to use in the tools and formats our clients work with every day, and we will grow the European Identity and Cloud Conference and our community as the place where practitioners, decision-makers, and technology providers move the market forward together.
Oliver Schnürle, Chief Executive Officer, KuppingerCole Analysts
The change in leadership comes at a decisive moment for the market KuppingerCole serves. AI agents are entering the enterprise, identity has become the foundation of cybersecurity, and organizations face decisions that call for independent, vendor-neutral guidance. 2027 also marks a milestone for KuppingerCole itself, as the European Identity and Cloud Conference celebrates its 20th edition from May 11 to 14 at the bcc Berlin Congress Center.
What began in 2004 as an independent voice on identity has grown into a trusted guide across identity, cybersecurity and AI security. With Oliver Schnürle as CEO, the next chapter begins now.
Note to Editors: A high-resolution photo of Oliver Schnürle and his biography are available in the KuppingerCole press kit here.
About KuppingerCole Analysts
KuppingerCole Analysts AG is an independent, global analyst firm specializing in identity and access management (IAM), cybersecurity, and AI Security. Through vendor-neutral research, expert advisory services, and events such as the European Identity and Cloud Conference and Impact Days, KuppingerCole Analysts helps organizations turn complexity into clarity in the digital age.
