Joerg Freitag (Chairman of the Board of Directors of PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V.; Germany) was elected PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) Chairman at the 20th PI meeting held in Tokyo at the end of May 2008. He will be supported by yearlong Deputy Chairman Mike Bryant (Director of PROFIBUS Trade Organization (PTO); USA), who had already been reconfirmed in office in September 2007 and elected for another three-year term of office.

The responsibilities of the Chairmen include determining the worldwide marketing strategy of PI and in particular coordinating international projects. Joerg Freitag is most notably campaigning for a further expansion of the global PI network, with his main focus of attention being on emerging markets. "The close network of PROFIBUS and PROFINET experts in the RPAs, test labs and competence and training centers guarantees first-class support in the dissemination and application of our technologies," says the new PI Chairman. "We will be intensifying our activities in view of lucrative prospects for future business and the considerable level of economic growth on emerging markets."

Another PI target is to reinforce the leading position of PROFIBUS on the international automation market. With more than 25 million installed devices, PROFIBUS is already undisputed market leader for fieldbus systems. And PI is endeavoring to repeat this success with PROFINET, the standard for industrial Ethernet systems. Numerous international projects are having an effect here within the worldwide market strategy. Thereby PI is building on and benefiting of the experience and the technical expertise of PROFIBUS.