At Itanta Analytics, we have always believed that the future of manufacturing belongs to those who can turn data into decisions — fast, confidently, and without friction. Today, we are proud to share a milestone that brings that belief one step closer to reality on a global scale: Hartmut Pütz has joined Itanta Analytics as Advisor to the Board. This is not just an exciting announcement for our team. It is a signal — to the manufacturing industry, to our customers, and to our partners — that Itanta is building something that the world's most experienced minds in industrial automation want to be a part of. A Name That Needs No Introduction For over three decades, Hartmut Pütz has been one of the most influential voices in global factory automation. His career spans some of the most prestigious organisations in the industrial technology space — from Rockwell Automation, where he built a deep foundation in industrial systems, to Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., where he rose to become President of Factory Automation EMEA. In that role, Hartmut led factory automation sales, service, and support operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa — one of the most complex and strategically significant manufacturing regions in the world. He was also a historic first: the first European ever appointed to lead the division since Mitsubishi Electric's German operations were founded more than 30 years prior. That milestone alone speaks volumes about the trust, respect, and leadership he brings to every organisation he is part of. Beyond Mitsubishi Electric, Hartmut has played key roles in shaping the direction of industrial technology across the globe. His contributions include board-level positions with ZVEI (Germany's Electrical and Digital Industry Association) and ORGALIM (the European Technology Industries Association), as well as involvement in initiatives such as Germany's Plattform Industrie 4.0, the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) in the USA, and the Robot Revolution Initiative (RRI) in Japan. His experience reflects not only deep technical knowledge but also a rare global network and strategic perspective. Why This Moment Matters for Manufacturing We are living through a pivotal era in industrial history. Manufacturers across the globe are sitting on vast amounts of operational data — but the gap between data and decision remains wide. Engineers are overloaded. Managers wait hours or days for answers. Decisions are still made on instinct rather than live facts. This is the problem Itanta was built to solve. And it is a problem that Hartmut has spent his entire career navigating — advising, guiding, and equipping manufacturers with the tools and thinking they need to compete in an increasingly digital world. His contributions to landmark initiatives such as Germany's Plattform Industrie 4.0, the Industrial Internet Consortium in the USA, and the Robot Revolution Initiative in Japan reflect the depth and breadth of his global perspective. What This Means for Itanta's Global Journey Itanta has been growing steadily — across industries, across geographies, and across the full spectrum of manufacturing complexity. We work with some of the most demanding production environments in Food & Beverage, Automotive, Pharmaceuticals, Oil & Gas, and beyond. And we are just getting started. With Hartmut's guidance, we are accelerating that trajectory. His network spans continents. His understanding of how large industrial organisations make technology decisions — and what it takes to earn their trust — is unmatched. For Itanta, this means sharper market positioning, stronger entry into European and global markets, and a strategic perspective that only decades of frontline experience can provide. A Partnership Rooted in Shared Vision What drew Hartmut to Itanta is what draws many of our customers to us: a genuine commitment to solving real problems on the factory floor — not with complexity, but with clarity. The belief that manufacturers should not need armies of data scientists to get answers from their own data. The conviction that intelligence should be accessible, actionable, and immediate. We are proud to welcome Hartmut to the Itanta family — and we look forward to everything we will build together. The future of manufacturing intelligence is global. And we are ready.