Hansgrohe Bolsters Growth

The Supervisory Board of the Hansgrohe SE introduces new responsibilities within the Executive Board to promote structures for continued and profitable growth

To further develop the successful strategy of the Hansgrohe Group and the expansion it already pursues, the company is strengthening its management team and increasing its focus on key areas. Therefore, the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE is systematically further developing existing structures within the Executive Board.

At its meeting on 21 September, the Supervisory Board unanimously passed a number of important personnel measures, which will fortify sales and sales-related functions – the cornerstones of the company’s growth strategy – within the Executive Board. Therefore, as of 1 January 2018 the Hansgrohe SE Executive Board will include two members responsible for sales as well as a Chief Financial Officer as of 1 October 2017. “This future-oriented board structure of the Hansgrohe Group thus consistently follows the strategy pursued by the company,” states Thorsten Klapproth, Chairman of the Executive Board.

All European sales, including Germany, will now be bundled into one area of management headed by Christophe Gourlan (45), who up until now has been Vice President Sales Europe. Born in France and a graduate in International Commerce, he has already spent some 20 years working successfully for the Hansgrohe Group. Another sales expert, Hans-Jürgen Kalmbach (42) will be responsible for international sales within the board. Kalmbach, a business graduate, has also had a successful career at Hansgrohe for about 20 years, his most recent position being Vice President Sales Asia Pacific. “The wishes and needs of our international customers sometimes differ significantly from the requirements and demands of our European customers,” says the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Klaus F. Jaenecke, explaining the division of the two new areas of management. Moreover, the Supervisory Board has appointed Reinhard Mayer (50) as new chief financial officer. Mayer, a business and engineering graduate, early on in his career specialised in finance and controlling and can therefore boast of more than 20 years of experience in these areas. Above all, Mayer also has the expertise needed to successfully manage the finances and controlling of an international group such as the Hansgrohe Group. For the last 15 years, Mayer has held various management positions in the publicly listed Swedish Getinge Group, most recently as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the company’s headquarters in Gothenburg. Mayer will join Hansgrohe SE on 1 October 2017. Frank Schnatz (44), whose contract has been extended by the Supervisory Board, will continue to be a member of the board responsible for product development, production and quality management. Frank Semling (50) continues to be Labour Director responsible for Supply Chain Management and Services. Klapproth (55) retains his position as Chairman of the Board. “The entire Supervisory Board looks forward to continuing our constructive work with the Executive Board and to collaborating in a spirit of trust and mutual respect,“ says Jaenecke.

“As part of Hansgrohe’s growth strategy, focussing—be it on our customers, innovative products or geographic regions—plays a decisive role. Now, more than ever before, our customers will be the focus of our efforts. Together with our highly dedicated members of staff, we will continue the success story of the Hansgrohe Group into the future,” Klapproth confidently states.