wienerberger, a leading international provider of innovative and ecological solutions for the building envelope and infrastructure, announced today that Heimo Scheuch is stepping down as CEO for personal health reasons with immediate effect. After more than 17 years at the helm, Scheuch asked the Supervisory Board to accept the early termination of his mandate. The board has accepted his decision and appointed Gerhard Hanke, currently Chief Operating Officer Central & East and Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board, as Interim CEO. The company is now conducting a structured search for a permanent successor.
Gerhard Hanke brings more than 25 years of experience at wienerberger to his new role. He served as CFO from 2021 to 2025, has been COO Central & East since March 2025, and has served as Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board since June 2026. The responsibilities of Dagmar Steinert (CFO) and Harald Schwarzmayr (COO West) remain unchanged.
Scheuch has served as CEO since 2009, leading the company through a fundamental strategic transformation from a traditional brick manufacturer into a leading international provider of innovative and ecological building material and infrastructure solutions across Europe and North America. Under his leadership, wienerberger significantly expanded its geographic footprint and built a strong position in water and energy infrastructure alongside its core building envelope business.
Peter Steiner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, expressed gratitude on behalf of the board: "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."
Scheuch commented: "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."
wienerberger is a leading international provider of innovative, ecological solutions for the entire building envelope, in the fields of new build and renovation, as well as infrastructure in water and energy management. With more than 20,000 employees worldwide, wienerberger's solutions enable energy-efficient, healthy, climate-friendly, and affordable living. The company is the world's largest producer of bricks and the market leader in clay roof tiles in Europe as well as concrete pavers in Eastern Europe. In pipe systems (ceramic and plastic pipes), it is one of the leading suppliers in Europe and a leading supplier of facade products in North America. With more than 200 production sites, wienerberger generated revenues of EUR 4.6 billion and an operating EBITDA of approximately EUR 754 million in 2025.
This leadership change comes at a pivotal time for wienerberger as it continues to execute its strategy focused on sustainability and innovation. The interim appointment of Gerhard Hanke ensures stability and continuity, allowing the company to maintain momentum while the search for a permanent CEO is underway. The company's financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2026 remain scheduled for release on 12 August 2026, as planned.
