Dirk Zikeli

Dirk Zikeli serves as the Chief Engineering Officer at Natural Fiber Welding since January 2023, focusing on advancing sustainable materials to eliminate plastic reliance. As the owner of Zikeli Solutions, LLC since September 2021, Zikeli specializes in enhancing operational efficiency and fostering cross-functional collaboration for improved productivity and team engagement. Prior experience includes serving as General Manager of Operations at era-contact USA LLC, where Zikeli oversaw operations for a leading supplier in the railway and automotive sectors from February 2020 to August 2021. Zikeli's extensive background in leadership roles at Chiron America Inc. from August 2004 to July 2019 encompassed positions such as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, emphasizing operational excellence and engineering resource management. Dirk Zikeli holds an EMBA in Business Administration from Queens University of Charlotte and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ferdinand-von-Steinbeis-Schule Tuttlingen, Germany.