In a significant leadership transition, wienerberger, a leading international provider of innovative, ecological solutions for the building envelope and infrastructure, announced that Heimo Scheuch is stepping down as CEO for personal health reasons with immediate effect. After more than 17 years at the helm, Scheuch requested the Supervisory Board to accept the early termination of his mandate. The board has accepted his decision and appointed Gerhard Hanke, Chief Operating Officer Central & East and Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board, as Interim CEO. wienerberger is now conducting a structured search for a permanent successor.
The announcement underscores the importance of leadership continuity in a company that has undergone a fundamental transformation under Scheuch's guidance. Since becoming CEO in 2009, Scheuch led wienerberger from a traditional brick manufacturer to an international group with more than 20,000 employees, a strong position in water and energy infrastructure, and a clear sustainability agenda. This transformation is highlighted by the company's revenues of EUR 4.6 billion and operating EBITDA of approximately EUR 754 million in 2025.
Gerhard Hanke brings more than 25 years of experience at wienerberger to his new role. He previously served as CFO from 2021 to 2025, has been COO Central & East since March 2025, and served as Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board since June 2026. His extensive knowledge of the company's operations and financial landscape positions him well to ensure continuity during this transition period. The responsibilities of Dagmar Steinert (CFO) and Harald Schwarzmayr (COO West) remain unchanged.
Peter Steiner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, expressed gratitude for Scheuch's contributions, stating, "On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I want to express my profound gratitude to Heimo for what he has built in 17 years as CEO. When he took the helm in 2009, wienerberger was a brick manufacturer. Today, it is a leading international group with more than 20,000 employees, a resilient business model spanning the entire building envelope and infrastructure, and a clear sustainability agenda. This successful transformation is his achievement. We deeply respect his decision to prioritize his health, and we wish him a full and swift recovery. Gerhard Hanke is an experienced, deeply trusted leader who knows every dimension of wienerberger. With him, we are well positioned to ensure continuity and pursue our goals while we conduct a thorough search for the right successor."
Heimo Scheuch reflected on his tenure, saying, "wienerberger has been my home for thirty years – from my first days as an assistant to leading this group as CEO. I would like to thank our customers, business partners and shareholders as well as the Supervisory Board, my fellow Managing Board members, and the global wienerberger team for their trust and commitment over the past years. We have achieved a great deal together, and I am proud of every step. I had looked forward to continuing as CEO as planned, but the time has come to focus on my health. I am leaving the company in the best possible hands and have no doubt that wienerberger will continue its success story."
The leadership change comes at a critical time for wienerberger as it continues to focus on sustainable building solutions and infrastructure development across Europe and North America. The company's strategy under Scheuch included significant geographic expansion and diversification into water and energy management, positioning it to address pressing environmental challenges. The interim appointment of Hanke is expected to maintain momentum, while the search for a permanent successor will be closely watched by investors and industry analysts. wienerberger will present its results for the second quarter and first half of 2026 as planned on 12 August 2026, which will provide further insights into the company's performance amid this transition.
