In this role, Merz will be responsible for driving Diebold's transformation strategy, helping execute on the company's previously disclosed multi-year realignment plan, and identifying other areas of improvement that will drive future growth.

With executive-level experience in strategic development, business intelligence, sales effectiveness and business transformation, Merz has a proven record of driving results and improving profitability in large, global technology companies.

"We are very pleased to have Stefan join the Diebold team," said Andy W. Mattes, Diebold president and chief executive officer. "His experience and collaborative approach to strategic planning is very relevant to our company's needs at this point, and will be extremely influential in guiding Diebold's future direction and help the company realize profitable growth."

Prior to joining Diebold, Merz held various leadership positions at Hewlett-Packard (HP) Enterprise Group, headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., where he most recently served as vice president of sales strategy and operations. In this role, he was responsible for planning and optimizing sales and field selling costs, compensation design and effectiveness and sales productivity.

Before his time at HP, Merz worked at Siemens AG, based in Munich, Germany, most recently serving as vice president of strategy and marketing. In this role, he was responsible for defining the organization's enterprise services strategy and growth initiatives.

A native of Sindelfingen, Germany, Merz received a master's degree in economics from the Universitat Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, and a bachelor's degree in marketing and finance from Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Stuttgart, Germany.