People Hansgrohe Group

Sandra Richter Strengthens Executive Board of Hansgrohe Group

New Chief People Officer as of March 1, 2023

Schiltach, December 2022. The Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE is strengthening the company's structures by appointing a Chief People Officer (CPO) specifically responsible for its global workforce. Sandra Richter (48) will expand the existing Executive Board team as of March 1, 2023. "The Hansgrohe Group grew by 27 percent alone in 2021 and managed to integrate more than 650 new employees during the pandemic period. As a result, there are now around 5,400 employees working at Hansgrohe around the world. By creating an independent HR resort at Executive Board level, the Supervisory Board is placing even more focus on these very employees, as they are the ones making the company's exceptional performance possible in the first place," Klaus F. Jaenecke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, explains the decision.

Many Years of HR Expertise in a Global Environment

Sandra Richter, who has a degree in mathematics, has 19 years of experience in human resources and has spent the last six years as Vice President Human Resources and Group Director HR at CeramTec GmbH based near Stuttgart, Germany. There, Sandra Richter took global responsibility for HR management with over 3,600 employees at locations in 14 countries. Among other things, she successfully introduced global talent management and global HR processes. Previously, the strong implementation manager was HR Director EMEA at Belden / Hirschmann. "We are really pleased that we were able to win Sandra Richter for Hansgrohe and that she will strengthen our Executive Board from March onwards. Her many years of experience in human resources and her global expertise will support Hansgrohe in its next endeavors. The entire Supervisory Board looks forward to the professional and trusting cooperation with Sandra Richter. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Frank Semling, who in his role as Director of Labor Relations has developed the Human Resources department immensely in recent years, enabling us to build on an extremely strong foundation and reach the next stages of development," explains Klaus F. Jaenecke.

Focus on People

Hansgrohe has always taken responsibility for people and the environment. "Our employees are at the heart of our corporate culture, which we are continuously developing. At Hansgrohe, the focus is on people. A separate Executive Board resort for our employees is therefore absolutely consistent and correct. We are already very well positioned and, for example, after 2021, we were again awarded "Top Employer" for outstanding working conditions in 2022 in Germany. With Sandra Richter, we will be able to develop even faster internationally and further strengthen our corporate culture," says Hans Jürgen Kalmbach, Chairman of the Executive Board. As a result, the Executive Board of Hansgrohe SE will consist of five members from March 2023. Frank Semling (56), as Chief Operating Officer (COO), remains a member of the Executive Board and Deputy Chairman. Christophe Gourlan (50) as Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and André Wehrhahn (52) as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) also remain unchanged. Hans Jürgen Kalmbach (47) also remains unchanged as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board. 

About the Hansgrohe Group – Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.

With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. Founded in 1901 in the Black Forest, the company gives water form and function with its faucets, showerheads and shower systems. The 120-year history of the company is marked by innovations, such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen faucet, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower.The company holds more than 18,500 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products and for responsibility towards people and the environment. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. With 34 subsidiaries and 20 sales offices supplying products in 152 countries, the globally active company in the sanitary industry is a reliable partner to its customers in all regions of the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 700 design prizes since 1974. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are found worldwide: on renowned cruise ships, in luxurious 5-star and boutique hotels, in international metropolitan cities, in extraordinary spas, exclusive bathrooms of lodges and luxury villas, public facilities, as well as in countless private homes. The Group’s high quality standards are ensured by seven wholly-owned production facilities: four in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2021, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.365 billion. It employs around 5,400 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.

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Press Officer Jörg Hass.
Jörg Hass
VP Corporate Communications