The kbbreview Interview // Sharon Wallis
Sharon Wallis the kbbreview interview
Interview: Rebecca Nottingham
Iconic German kitchen brand Poggenpohl has undoubtedly been through the mill in recent years, with a well-documented rollercoaster of a story that eventually saw it saved from administration by Chinese firm Jomoo. The kitchen brand’s story in the UK, however, has been far more stable, thanks to the steady guiding hand of MD Sharon Wallis…
A
s a brand that turned 132 years old this year, you’d be hard pushed to find anyone in the sector who hasn’t heard of the German kitchen brand Poggenpohl. Established in 1892 by Friedemir Poggenpohl who set out to ‘improve the kitchen’, Poggenpohl is one of the oldest kitchen brands in the world. It has even earned itself a reputation among many as the pioneer of the
modern fitted kitchen, thanks to its early innovations such as the Reform Kitchen in 1928, and the launch of the first unit kitchen in 1950. In later years, high-profile collaborations with Porsche Design Studio on its P’7340 and P’7350 series and its work with
Electrolux Grand Cuisine on the development of the Fourth wall, have bolstered its reputation for innovative craftsmanship. Having been operating for 132 years it’s perhaps not surprising that, as well as success, Poggenpohl has had its fair share
of ups and downs. Perhaps the most notable period being four years ago when it filed for insolvency in Germany in 2020 only for the brand to be saved out of administration by Chinese firm, Jomoo. While it obviously felt the effects of the uncertainty around the brand’s insolvency, the story of the brand in the UK, according
to MD Sharon Wallis, has been less turbulent. In fact, the brand even celebrated its 50th year of trading in the UK this year. “Poggenpohl UK was never in administration; it was just the German business that filed for insolvency. In the UK, we
remained a very successful, profitable business,” she explains. “Don’t get me wrong, that period between it being announced at the end of April 2020 and the Jomoo deal going through was very uncertain. We had the worry of what was happening with our parent company in Germany to contend with, on top of the pandemic.” Earlier this month Wallis, who has been at the helm of Poggenpohl UK since her promotion to MD in 2020, was named the
most influential female managing director in the kitchen design sector, by Acquisition International Magazine By her own admission, Wallis tends to lead more from behind the scenes, preferring to let her colleagues “shine and take the limelight”. She may not favour being centre of attention, but that doesn’t stop Wallis showing off her eloquent, firm, and approachable
self. Above all, she clearly understands the brand, and its people, inside out so it’s no wonder that, with her in control, Poggenpohl’s story in the UK has been one of stable success.
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MD, Poggenpohl UK
24
kbbreview
November 2024
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