LeadershipTransition at nolte Küchen and Express Küchen

As planned well in advance, Manfred Wippermann will hand over his position as commercial managing director at nolte Küchen and Express Küchen to Torben Karasek effective January 1, 2027. Johannes Heitmann will become technical managing director. Rüdiger Schliekmann is leaving the company.

Torben Karasek has been with the Nolte Group since June 1, 2024, and, as managing director, has shaped the commercial side of Nolte Holding International alongside Heiko Maibach, who serves as managing director of sales.

Manfred Wippermann will remain Managing Director of the parent company of Nolte GmbH & Co. KGaA and will also serve in an advisory capacity on the Group’s Advisory Board going forward.

“On behalf of the Supervisory Board, the Advisory Board, and the Nolte family, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Wippermann for his tireless dedication, his in-depth knowledge, his deeply rooted loyalty, and his way of interacting with people—regardless of their position. For over 35 years, he has played a major role in shaping nolte Küchen—acting as an extension of the family—and has led the companies with the utmost professionalism to where they stand today. We are pleased and grateful that, beyond his role on the holding company’s management board, he will continue to support us in an advisory capacity on the Advisory Board for the long term,” said Maren Schmitt-Nolte, Chair of the Advisory Board, and Georg Konrad Nolte, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the KGaA.

As part of the long-term generational transition, Johannes Heitmann will take over the technical management role from Rüdiger Schliekmann effective immediately. After completing his dual degree program, Johannes Heitmann has established himself within the Nolte Group over many years.

Going forward, the management team of the Kitchens subgroup will consist of Johannes Heitmann (Technical), Torben Karasek (Commercial), and Heiko Maibach (Sales/Marketing).

“We wish the three managing directors, together with their team, every success in developing and shaping the Kitchens subgroup, and we very much look forward to our continued trusting collaboration! We wish Mr. Schliekmann all the best for his future,” said Maren Schmitt-Nolte, Chair of the Advisory Board, and Georg Konrad Nolte, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the KGaA.