July 21, 2025
Beyond the Yes Vote: A Closer Look at Signify’s New CEO
We unpack the contract details and leadership profile of As Tempelman
In a corporate world rife with marathon meetings and drawn-out strategic reviews, Signify's vote to appoint a new CEO took less time than ordering lunch.
In a meeting that lasted just nine minutes, Signify shareholders confirmed As Tempelman as the company’s next CEO. Friday’s vote was swift and overwhelming: 99.9% in favor. A formality on paper, two months in the making.
With the decision now official, we take a closer look at Tempelman’s executive contract, how his new role compares to his last, the timing of his September start, and what it all signals for the world’s largest lighting company navigating transition at scale.
A Breather Before the Spotlight
Tempelman will leave Dutch energy company Eneco on August 1 and officially start as CEO of Signify on September 1. The month in between is seemingly planned time away. Not a mystery. Not a sabbatical. Just a pause between two demanding roles.
In the context of an industry facing global supply chain pressures, fluctuating demand, and evolving expectations for ESG leadership, it’s a rare and perhaps necessary breather. The schedule also reflects an orderly transition: Eneco’s interim CEO stepped in on July 4, and Signify’s interim CEO Željko Kosanović continues through the end of August.
And then there’s home life. As Tempelman noted in his brief remarks to shareholders, he and his spouse are raising four teenagers — two girls and two boys. The month off may not be quiet, but it will likely be grounding.
The Contract: Rich but Standard
Inside Lighting reviewed the four-year contract for Tempelman's role at Signify. His base salary starts at €1,045,223 (approximately $1.23 million) — a number 6% above predecessor Eric Rondolat’s €985,223 for 2024. Annual and long-term incentive targets are consistent with Rondolat’s at 80% and 100% of base salary, respectively.
Notably, Tempelman will receive a one-time €500,000 equity grant at the start of his Signify tenure. Such grants are common for incoming CEOs to immediately gain a stake in share performance.
Allowances — car, entertainment and others — are also identical to Rondolat’s. The pension and severance arrangements echo those of his predecessor, too. In short: no fireworks, just a well-padded landing.
Eneco vs. Signify: From Regional Energy to Global Lighting
The leap from Eneco to Signify is not just a job change — it’s a shift in industrial tempo.
Tempelman leaves a regionally focused energy utility with deep sustainability roots and a predictable regulatory environment. In exchange, he inherits a global tech brand with a supply chain as sprawling as its product portfolio — and far more volatility. Signify plays in both B2B and B2C markets, across diverse geographies and policy regimes. The move signals confidence in Tempelman’s ability to scale leadership — from regional energy transformation to global industrial innovation.
2025: The Year with Three Signify CEOs
With Eric Rondolat departing in late April, Željko Kosanović stepping in as interim CEO through August, and Tempelman arriving in September, 2025 marks a rare triple-play at the top of Signify.
While Kosanović maintains his role as CFO during the interim, his dual CEO/CFO responsibility makes 2025 a transitional year in the truest sense. That carries both risks and strategic advantages. If 2025 proves to be another tough year financially, responsibility could be diffused. If it's a rebound, credit will be similarly spread. For Tempelman, it provides a clean 2026 runway — and the political cover to own that year as his true starting point.
The Vote Was Unanimous — But the Challenge Isn’t
Shareholders approved Tempelman’s appointment with 99.9% of the vote. The ceremony was brief. But brevity should not be confused with simplicity. Signify’s situation is nuanced. Sales are down. Margins are pressured. The OEM segment — once a stable backbone — is now faltering.
Tempelman inherits a company that, despite being a global lighting leader, is looking for its next definition. His track record at Eneco — where profitability tripled under his tenure — buys him credibility. But Signify is not Eneco. And the lighting industry’s global patchwork of demand, regulation, and innovation requires a different playbook.
His stated values — integrity, trust, empowerment — are sturdy, even noble. Whether they translate into strategic advantage remains to be seen.
Looking Ahead: A Clean Start, and a Long List
By the time Tempelman returns from his August pause, Signify will be in the final stretch of 2025. He’ll have one full quarter to acclimate before being judged on 2026.
The contract runs through Signify’s 2029 Annual General Meeting which is usually held in May. That gives him time — and pressure. The next few months will likely reveal whether he plans to make incremental adjustments or pursue a more fundamental reset.
Either way, shareholders gave him a strong mandate. Now comes the harder part: delivering results in a business where transformation must happen in public, under LED-lit scrutiny.
