Thorsten Klapproth (52) has assumed the role of Chairman of the Executive Board of Hansgrohe SE, taking over from Siegfried Gaensslen (68) as the Chief Executive Officer of the sanitary fixtures manufacturer. Prior to joining Hansgrohe, Thorsten Klapproth successfully led Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik (WMF) for 10 years.
“By bringing Thorsten Klapproth on board, we have been able to enlist a highly qualified CEO with long-standing and successful expertise in managing and developing top international companies,” says Klaus Grohe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hansgrohe SE. “He will use this experience to the benefit of the company and the employees alike, and continue to consolidate Hansgrohe’s position.
“Siegfried Gaensslen deserves our very special thanks. His vision, his entrepreneurial skills, and his passion and commitment to Hansgrohe have been largely responsible for establishing our company as one of the industry’s few global players.”
Thorsten Klapproth comments: “In recent years, Hansgrohe has grown continuously, becoming one of the world’s leading bathroom and sanitation specialists. I very much look forward to working with a highly motivated team to continue the company’s success story.”
After studying business administration in Braunschweig, Munich and Augsburg, Thorsten Klapproth held management positions in Sales & Marketing at Siemens AG, as well as at Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH. Then, as an internal management consultant, he led projects for strategy, restructuring, process optimization and corporate culture at Siemens AG in Munich and in Santa Clara, USA.
In 1996, he joined Gaggenau Hausgeräte GmbH, where in 1998 he was elected Chairman of the Executive Board. In this position he was responsible for global Sales, Marketing and Business Development. He eventually integrated the company into Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH. Thorsten Klapproth’s most recent position was as CEO of WMF in Geislingen an der Steige.
Siegfried Gaensslen has been with Hansgrohe SE for twenty years, with more than six as the company’s CEO. Until May 2015 he will advise Keith Allman, CEO of the Masco Corporation on the conglomerate’s strategic orientation as International Executive Advisor.
