Dauch Corp 8-K

What Happened
Dauch Corporation announced on Feb. 5, 2026 that the Board appointed Fiona MacAulay and Simon Mackenzie Smith as independent directors and hired Markus Bannert as Vice President, Metal Forming. MacAulay will serve as a Class I director (up for re‑election at the 2027 annual meeting) and Smith as a Class II director (up for re‑election at the 2028 annual meeting). Committee assignments for the new directors take effect April 29, 2026. The company also granted Bannert a performance equity inducement award.

Key Details

• Appointments dated Feb. 5, 2026: Fiona MacAulay (Class I) and Simon Mackenzie Smith (Class II) named independent directors.
• Committee assignments effective April 29, 2026: MacAulay to Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance; Smith to Audit and Technology.
• Markus Bannert (age 52) named VP, Metal Forming; previously CEO of GKN Automotive (since 2019) and CEO of Hella Lighting division.
• Bannert compensation: €800,000 base salary; target annual bonus 75% of base; target long‑term incentive 150% of base; awarded a performance equity inducement of 90,909 Dauch shares.

Why It Matters
Board additions and senior hires can affect governance, strategy and investor confidence. The new independent directors expand board expertise and will join key committees, while the senior hire (and sizable pay package and equity award) signals Dauch is investing in leadership for its metal forming operations. Investors should note the re‑election schedule for the directors (2027 and 2028) and the disclosed compensation commitments for Bannert as concrete near‑term impacts on governance and compensation expense.