Personnel Changes at Duravit, Hansgrohe, and Villeroy & Boch — Germany’s Top Three Bathroom Giants

Recently, the three German bathroom giants Duravit, Villeroy & Boch, and Hansgrohe announced a new round of personnel appointments involving senior executives such as CEOs. Among them, Duravit announced the appointment of Michael Demmer as Chief Executive Officer, Hansgrohe announced that Jonathon J. Nudi was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board, and Villeroy & Boch announced that the current Chief Executive Officer Gabi Schupp will soon step down.

On May 11 local time, Duravit announced the appointment of Michael Demmer as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board. Previously, Demmer had been serving as Interim Chief Executive Officer.

Regarding this appointment, Gregor Greinert, Chairman of Duravit’s Supervisory Board, said, “In an extremely short period of time, Michael Demmer has provided a decisive impetus for Duravit’s future development and has formulated a compelling strategic vision. Based on this foundation, we have decided to formally appoint him as Chief Executive Officer and to unwaveringly continue along the established path.”

According to the announcement, Michael Demmer will drive Duravit’s strategic transformation, with Duravit further strengthening its image and focusing on differentiation on a global scale. At the same time, the company’s organizational structure will center on sustainable efficiency and profitability, laying a solid foundation for long-term growth and strategic development.

On May 11 local time, Hansgrohe held its Annual General Meeting, at which Jonathon J. Nudi was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board for a five-year term. He succeeds Klaus F. Jaenecke, who reached the statutory age limit and did not seek re-election.

Jonathon J. Nudi is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Masco Group and has served as a member of the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE since last year. Klaus F. Jaenecke has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE since March 2014 and was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board in April 2015. With his many years of rich experience in corporate strategy, development, and planning, he has made important contributions to the company’s success.

At the same time, Richard Westenberg joins the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE, replacing Klaus F. Jaenecke, and was elected Vice Chairman. Richard Westenberg is currently Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of Masco Group. With the retirement of Jai Shah, President of Masco’s Plumbing and Wellness Business Group, he will also step down from the Supervisory Board. Kenneth G. Cole has been appointed as Jai Shah’s successor on the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE; he currently serves as Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Masco Group.

The remaining members of Hansgrohe’s Supervisory Board remain unchanged: Richard Grohe (grandson of company founder Hans Grohe, representative of Syngroh Management Investment GmbH), Hülya Inciroglu (Hansgrohe employee representative), and Jürgen Nähr (Hansgrohe employee representative).

Villeroy & Boch recently announced that Chief Executive Officer Gabi Schupp will step down on May 31 for personal reasons. She joined the Executive Board in 2019 and has served as Chairwoman and CEO since 2024. The departure is a mutual agreement, and she will continue to serve as an advisor to the company after stepping down.

Gabi Schupp stated: “The past few years have been an intense and profoundly meaningful period both for the company and for me personally. The integration of Ideal Standard has been completed, the company’s transformation is progressing smoothly, and the key foundations for further successful development have been laid. Against this backdrop, I have decided to take on new challenges. I would like to thank the owner family, the Supervisory Board, and my colleagues on the Executive Committee, and especially all colleagues at Villeroy & Boch, for the achievements we have made together over the past seven years.”

At the same time, Villeroy & Boch announced the establishment of the position of Spokesperson of the Executive Committee. After the Annual General Meeting and the handover of duties have been completed, the position will be assumed by Georg Lörz, who has been a member of the Executive Committee of Villeroy & Boch AG since 2020. In addition, the Villeroy & Boch Executive Committee consists of four members: Georg Lörz is responsible for the Bathroom and Wellness Division and serves as Spokesperson of the Executive Committee; Peter Domma is responsible for the Dining and Lifestyle Division and also heads the Digitalization and Information Technology Department; Markus Warncke continues to oversee finance; and Esther Jehle is responsible for Human Resources and Organizational Development, and heads the Operations Department within the Bathroom and Wellness Division.