• The appointment reflects GROHE's commitment to global growth, innovation, and customer success
• Stefan Schmied has led key strategic initiatives, expanded channels, built brands, and managed sales operations in the retail, wholesale, and project business for global companies

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2nd of April 2024: GROHE, as part of LIXIL, one of the global leaders in complete bathroom and kitchen fittings, has announced the appointment of Stefan Schmied as the new Leader of the IMEA region at LIXIL. The IMEA region includes India & Subcontinent, the Middle East including Turkiye, and Africa. The appointment reflects GROHE's commitment to global growth, innovation, and customer success.

Stefan brings over 20 years of industry experience to his role. He has led key strategic initiatives, expanded channels, built brands, and managed sales operations in the retail, wholesale, and project business for global companies. Stefan has previously led the project business channel at GROHE, transforming it into an independent Business Unit that became a key growth driver for LIXIL EMENA. He has led the specification and execution of new-build and renovation projects, such as globally leading hotel brands, iconic airports, international healthcare groups and prominent residential developers worldwide.

In his new role, Stefan will be responsible for accelerating growth and enhancing long-term sales performance of the GROHE brand through cross-regional collaboration and strategic innovation. He will also focus on expanding the customer base, building partnerships and driving innovation to contribute to the GROHE's overall success, in addition to overseeing the company's operations in IMEA.

Prior to joining GROHE as part of LIXIL, Stefan has been the CEO and President of major construction companies in Europe and Asia. He has extensive experience in sanitaryware, tiles and sanitary technology, having worked with global companies in C-suite and senior management roles across the Middle East.

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ENDS

About GROHE

GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings and has a total of over 6,500 employees in 150 countries – 2,600 of them are based in Germany. Since 2014 GROHE has been part of the strong brand portfolio of the Japanese manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products LIXIL. In order to offer “Pure Freude an Wasser”, every GROHE product is based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability. Renowned highlights such as GROHE Eurosmart or the GROHE thermostat series as well as groundbreaking innovations such as the GROHE Blue water system underline the brand's profound expertise.

Focused on customer needs, GROHE thus creates intelligent, life-enhancing and sustainable product solutions that offer relevant added value – and bear the "Made in Germany" seal of quality: R&D and design are firmly anchored as an integrated process in Germany. GROHE takes its corporate responsibility very seriously and focuses on a resource-saving value chain. Since April 2020, the sanitary brand has been producing CO2-neutral worldwide. GROHE has also set itself the goal of using plastic-free product packaging by 2021.

In the past ten years alone, more than 460 design and innovation awards as well as several top rankings at the German Sustainability Award have confirmed GROHE's success: GROHE was the first in its industry to win the CSR Award of the German Federal Government and was also featured in the renowned Fortune® magazine’s ranking of Top 50 that are “Changing the World”.

www.grohe.com

About LIXIL

LIXIL makes pioneering water and housing products that solve every day, real-life challenges, making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. Drawing on our Japanese heritage, we create world-leading technology and innovate to make high quality products that transform homes. But the LIXIL difference is how we do this; through meaningful design, an entrepreneurial spirit, a dedication to improving accessibility for all and responsible business growth. Our approach comes to life through industry-leading brands, including INAX, GROHE, American Standard and TOSTEM. Over 60,000 colleagues operating in more than 150 countries are proud to make products that touch the lives of more than a billion people every day.  

www.lixil.com