wienerberger AG, a leading international provider of building envelope and infrastructure solutions, announced today that Heimo Scheuch has resigned as CEO with immediate effect due to personal health reasons. The Supervisory Board 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 has initiated a structured search for a permanent successor.
Scheuch, who has led wienerberger since 2009, asked the Supervisory Board to accept the early termination of his mandate after more than 17 years at the helm. During his tenure, he transformed the company from a traditional brick manufacturer into a diversified provider of innovative, ecological solutions for the entire building envelope, as well as water and energy infrastructure. Under his leadership, wienerberger expanded its geographic footprint significantly and built a strong position in infrastructure markets, while also advancing a clear sustainability agenda.
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 brings over 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. Steiner commented: "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 said: "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 time when wienerberger is set to release its second quarter and first half 2026 results on 12 August 2026, as planned. The company's strategic direction remains focused on providing energy-efficient, healthy, climate-friendly, and affordable living solutions. With more than 20,000 employees and over 200 production sites, wienerberger generated revenues of EUR 4.6 billion and an operating EBITDA of approximately EUR 754 million in 2025. The interim CEO's deep familiarity with the company's operations and financials is expected to ensure a seamless transition while the search for a permanent leader proceeds.
