Suresh Krishna hired as CEO to drive growth at Protolabs

Since then, shares have rebounded, mainly after the company reported strong second-quarter results in July, and have gained more than 20% in value.

“What stands out most about Suresh is his genuine connection with people. From the factory floor employees to our customers, he listens, learns and engages with every team member,” said Rainer Gawlick, chairman of the board of directors at Protolabs, via email. “His leadership is rooted in collaboration and empowerment – ​​qualities that align perfectly with our culture and vision for the future. »

A proponent of servant leadership, Krishna believes his role as CEO is to remove barriers and reduce friction so that Protolabs employees can better meet customer needs.

In his previous stops, Krishna said he tested and tried to perfect a strategic development playbook where customer centricity is the guiding principle.

Joe Ryan, founder and CEO of Excelsior-based national real estate development firm Oppidan Investment Co., would agree with Krishna’s approach.

“He’s a very inclusive leader,” said Ryan, who got to know Krishna in his role at Northern Tool. “I find him, first of all, very intelligent in the way he thinks about processes.”