Carrier Taps Tech Veteran to Helm European Climate Business Post-Integration

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – June 17, 2026 – Carrier Global Corporation has announced a pivotal leadership change for its European operations, appointing industrial technology veteran Thomas Donato as the new President of its Climate Solutions Europe segment. The move comes as his predecessor, Thomas Heim, steps down after successfully steering the company through the landmark integration of Germany’s Viessmann Climate Solutions.

This transition is more than a simple executive shuffle; it marks the beginning of a new strategic chapter for Carrier in one of the world's most dynamic and regulated climate markets. With the foundational work of a massive merger complete, the appointment of Donato—a leader with deep experience in transformation and growth at industrial giants like Bosch and Rockwell Automation—signals a clear intent to accelerate growth and capitalize on the company's newly expanded capabilities.

A New Playbook for a Transformed Business

Thomas Donato's resume reads like a blueprint for the kind of leader a high-tech industrial firm would tap to drive its next phase of growth. Before joining Carrier, he was CEO of Bosch Power Tools, a global division with €6 billion in sales and over 20,000 employees. His career is distinguished by senior executive roles that place him at the intersection of technology, global sales, and operational transformation.

His experience extends across Bosch Rexroth, where he was a board member responsible for Mobile Hydraulics and Factory Automation, and a nearly two-decade tenure at Rockwell Automation, where he served as Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing. This background in automation, electrification, robotics, and managing complex global profit-and-loss statements is particularly relevant. It suggests Carrier is prioritizing a leader who can not only manage a large HVAC business but also infuse it with the technological sophistication and operational discipline required to win in the era of intelligent, connected climate solutions.

"We are excited to welcome Thomas Donato to Carrier and confident that his extensive global leadership experience will help build on this strong foundation and lead Climate Solutions Europe through its next chapter of growth," said David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO of Carrier, in the company’s official announcement.

Donato's appointment is a strategic bet that the future of the climate industry lies in smart, integrated systems. His expertise is expected to be instrumental in leveraging the digital platforms and advanced product portfolios, like Viessmann's "One Base" home energy management system, to deliver comprehensive solutions that go beyond heating and cooling to include solar PV, battery storage, and smart controls.

The Foundation: Completing a Landmark Integration

Donato steps into a role built on a newly solidified foundation, largely credited to the leadership of the departing Thomas Heim. Heim's nine-year tenure with Carrier and Viessmann culminated in his most critical task: overseeing the successful integration of Viessmann Climate Solutions following Carrier's colossal €12 billion acquisition, which closed in January 2024.

This acquisition was a transformative move for Carrier, repositioning it as a focused, “pure-play” leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions. The deal gave Carrier a premier brand in Europe's burgeoning heat pump market and access to Viessmann’s highly effective direct-to-installer channel, a network of 80,000 skilled trade partners crucial for market penetration. Heim was tasked with the monumental challenge of merging these two giants, combining their residential and commercial HVAC businesses across Europe and harmonizing distinct corporate cultures, supply chains, and product strategies.

Gitlin acknowledged this critical contribution, stating, "We are grateful to Thomas Heim for his many contributions to Carrier and for the leadership he demonstrated throughout the successful integration of Viessmann Climate Solutions and the transformation of our European business." Heim’s departure is framed not as an exit, but as the successful completion of a mission-critical project, leaving the European segment “well positioned for its next phase of growth and value creation.”

Navigating Europe's Green Gauntlet

The leadership transition occurs as Carrier faces both immense opportunity and significant challenges in the European market. The continent is at the forefront of the global energy transition, driven by ambitious regulatory frameworks like the EU Green Deal, the F-Gas Regulation, and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). These policies are aggressively phasing out fossil fuel heating and high-GWP refrigerants, creating a government-mandated boom for energy-efficient technologies like heat pumps.

With Viessmann's portfolio, Carrier is exceptionally well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. Viessmann was a pioneer in heat pump technology, and its products are central to Europe’s decarbonization efforts. However, the market is not without its hurdles. Recent slowdowns in some national markets, driven by shifting subsidies and economic uncertainty, have tested the industry. Furthermore, competition is fierce, with rivals like Daikin also investing heavily to capture market share.

This is the complex landscape Donato is hired to navigate. His task will be to leverage Carrier’s scale and Viessmann’s market access to outmaneuver competitors while adapting to the intricate patchwork of national regulations and incentive programs. The success of Carrier's European strategy will depend on its ability to not only sell hardware but also to provide the integrated, intelligent solutions that optimize energy use in line with Europe’s stringent efficiency and sustainability goals.

A Strategic Pivot to a Climate Pure-Play

Ultimately, this leadership change is a clear reflection of Carrier’s broader corporate strategy. The company has been deliberately divesting non-core assets, such as its fire and security and commercial refrigeration businesses, to sharpen its focus on the higher-growth, higher-margin business of intelligent climate and energy solutions. The Viessmann acquisition was the cornerstone of this transformation.

With the integration phase now concluded under Heim, the appointment of a growth- and technology-focused leader like Donato is the logical next step. His mandate is clear: to take the combined power of Carrier and Viessmann and translate it into sustained market leadership and profitable growth. He is not just managing a legacy business; he is tasked with leading a newly forged entity designed to dominate the future of sustainable building technology in Europe. For business leaders, investors, and competitors, the moves made by Carrier's European arm under its new leadership will be a critical indicator of the company's ability to execute on its ambitious global vision.