Our inspiring leaders

When and how did you join Schmidt Groupe? What was the context?

I joined Schmidt Groupe in October 2020 with the clear objective of keeping our two main brands on the road to success. The challenge involved building on the family-run company’s strong legacy, while retaining the ability to change our game plan. My career at Danone and in consultancy taught me how to forge strong brands in the retail sector. At Schmidt Groupe, I want to cement our status as the sector leader.

What are your main challenges in the coming years?

There are two major challenges, namely the brand and the product. Our ability to create beauty needs to be our defining signature. We need to prove that our products can elicit emotions and that we can endlessly personalise our customers’ projects without compromising on quality. Beauty isn’t more expensive than the ordinary, but it creates greater loyalty and longer-lasting use. My challenge is ensuring that every Schmidt or Cuisinellà product evokes an emotion and generates a sense of well-being.

What particularly inspires you at Schmidt Groupe that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

The passion for beauty. At Schmidt Groupe, we don’t just make furniture. We create inspiring living spaces. Our ability to combine cutting-edge manufacturing processes with infinite possibilities for personalisation, while being a trendsetter rather than a trend follower, is unique in our sector.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

It’s not a specific product, but one of the possibilities offered by our products. Basically it’s our fronts with their ultra-personalised designs that allow customers to express their style. They embody exactly what I’m passionate about: transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, and setting trends rather than following them.

You’ve worked for Hager, Mars and Hilton — well-established international groups. Why made you decide to join Schmidt Groupe?

Because the opportunity felt like the obvious choice. On a personal level, I grew up in a multicultural environment that was open to the world and its people. On a professional level, I’d been fortunate enough to work in environments that were not only stimulating and demanding, but also people-centric. Schmidt Groupe gave me the chance to bring all of those aspects together, meaning a shared passion for people in a safe and healthy environment, within a group that walks the talk when it comes to reinventing our way of better living in the world.

What strategy are you pursuing to support the Group’s transformation?

Our mission can be summed up in a few words: we guarantee a safe and healthy work environment that fosters employee engagement, development and performance. That environment is built upon strong values and provides us with a workplace where we can learn and enjoy ourselves. To achieve this aim, we rely on a number of powerful drivers, such as our unique organisational culture and a leadership style that strives to be inspiring, inclusive and nurturing.

How do we foster an organisational culture on a day-to-day basis?

By making it visible and tangible at every level, in all our decisions, management practices and team rituals. At Schmidt Groupe, our culture isn’t just a slogan, but a mindset passed on by the managers who embody it, by the employees who experience it, and by the choices that strengthen it.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

I’d be a bespoke bookcase, a designer bookcase that has been optimised and well designed for housing a fine selection of inspiring books on people, management and the world.

Amongst the books, there would be objects brought back from my travels, collections and souvenirs. A bookcase reveals who we are, where we come from and what we dream of, what we’ve read, what we’ve experienced, and what we cherish. That’s exactly what I’m looking to build in the company: a space that makes perfect sense and that tells our shared story.

You’ve been with the Group for over 30 years. How have you come this far?

I’ve never shied away from a challenge. Ever since I turned up for my first interview at a great SME, life has simply gone from strength to strength. The Group’s industrial complexity is what has driven me, such as developing organisations, supporting the teams, and embedding innovation into our processes and products. Every project at Schmidt Groupe breaks new ground.

What is the main challenge involved in managing the Group’s operations?

Always being prepared. If the business does what’s required to fill the plants, then the plants need to be capable of responding to such demand both quickly, effectively, and on a large scale. It’s a constant anticipation game, such as thinking about the manufacturing capabilities required in the future, building today’s tools and facilities, and ensuring that the Group can deliver a swift response to the ever-changing market. You can’t wing it in industry. Anticipation calls for preparation.

What are the key factors behind Schmidt Groupe’s operational excellence?

There are three things that strengthen each another.

Constant progress is the first, which can be credited to the company’s employees. Continual improvement is an integral part of our culture. Our complexity is a daily battle when it comes to staying on top of our game, without forgetting the many product developments that are a constant challenge for us.

Processes and machinery are the second. They reflect the innovations that we’ve introduced to maintain our competitive advantage. To look far ahead into the future, we need to invent the machines of tomorrow that will sharpen our competitive edge. Many of our prototypes have actually ended up becoming market standards within 5 to 10 years of their development.

Thirdly, there’s the resilience and expertise of our teams, without whom we’d be incapable of achieving such a level of performance!

This is the very combination that determines our level of excellence.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

I’d be a cabinet. Large and square, complex, full of functionality, and capable of adapting to anything! A bit like a Swiss Army knife that’s designed to meet every need in real life!

On a day-to-day basis, what continues to drive you as Schmidt Groupe’s CEO?

Defending the existential conviction that our Group must earn the right to grow, and rallying the whole enterprise behind that conviction. Growth should be virtuous by having a positive impact on our employees, our customers, our partners, our host community and ultimately the living environment.

Every decision that we take is guided by the following question: will it generate a more positive impact for the company and its stakeholders? That’s what drives me every day.

What remains of the 1934 mindset and what has fundamentally changed?

What remains? Our family DNA, our warmth, and the values of confidence and respect that have endured since my grandfather Hubert’s time. What has changed? The size of the company and the rate of change. The world is constantly being shaken up by unforeseen events. It’s vitally important to combine expertise with agility. Today, with 1,900 employees and over 900 showrooms, we’ve taken a different approach to nurturing and sustaining our Group’s culture, but the spirit remains the same.

What role can and should Schmidt Groupe play in transforming its sector?

We want to inspire responsible practices. As market leaders, we should have a positive influence on our sector and continue pushing boundaries by proving that we can find better ways of manufacturing and selling products without destroying resources. That’s what we mean by “earning the right to grow”.

We want to drive change across the industry, especially the timber, manufacturing and retail sectors, by engaging our partners, suppliers and peers. A single player cannot transform an industry by itself. Working together is how we’ll succeed in transforming the market and strengthening its resilience.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

I’d be a bookcase, because it perfectly embodies our expertise, i.e. personalised design, creativity, and a blend of beauty and functionality. A bookcase always tells a personal story through its objects, memories and books. As a keen reader, I love the idea of a link between the past (the stories we pass on) and the future (the horizons that books open up).

What can you find at Schmidt Groupe that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

The home living sector in the broadest sense of the word is enthralling, the company is a leader with lots of growth opportunities and stimulating projects, and the employees share an organisational culture that resonates with my own values. It seems to have an extra spirit that’s rare in today’s companies. I can also contribute to a collective endeavour, one that sustains and transcends me as an individual – what more could I wish for?

What are your main challenges for the coming years?

The main challenge still involves continually building an organisation that is ever closer to the business and its representatives, an organisation that anticipates and structures the issues, and participates in the decision-making process through its reliability, efficiency, relevance and creativity.

Another key challenge is combining profitability with sustainability.

A company has no future unless it can turn a profit. I’d like to reiterate that while profitability provides short-term security, it also funds investments, projects and talent… in other words, the future.

Today’s societies realise that we live in a fragile world with finite resources. There’s no future without sustainability, or if we turn a blind eye to the impacts of our own business activities or those facing our company, both today and in the future.

It’s in the company’s best interests to chart a course through profitability and sustainability. We’re all committed to achieving this aim, including the financial team, which may mistakenly be perceived as focusing exclusively on financial matters.

How does the Group’s family-run nature influence your financial strategy?

An independent family-owned business doesn’t manage its finances like a listed group. There are no quarterly results that need defending before its shareholders, and no pressure to generate immediate returns. At Schmidt Groupe, we play the long game. We invest, we build, and we preserve the Group’s financial independence, so that it remains free to make its own choices.

This is illustrated in our Positive Impact strategy, namely that growth is a right that must be earned, financed according to strict procedures, and capable of creating value for the entire ecosystem. Finance serves the project, not the other way round.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

If I were a Schmidt Groupe product, I’d be the service that works alongside our customers in designing the space of their dreams. That’s the beauty of our business. Looking from the outside in, people might think that we sell products, but in reality we’re selling living spaces.

When and how did you join Schmidt Groupe? What was the context?

Back in 1992, I was 20 years old and I wanted to build something that would endure. I had no idea that this family-run company in Alsace would actually become the setting for my entire career. This journey has given me something that few CPOs possess, namely an intimate understanding of what our suppliers actually produce, and how much poor purchasing decisions can ultimately cost.

What are the key pillars behind Schmidt Groupe’s procurement strategy?

First and foremost, there is performance. Our procurement methods ensure that the Group is always competitive, but without ever skimping on quality.

Next comes responsibility. Our sustainable procurement policy, which has received national RFAR certification (Sustainable Supplier Relations and Procurement), makes every purchasing decision a CSR initiative.

Finally there are relationships. This is perhaps the most strategic aspect. We want to be our suppliers’ favourite customer. Not a customer who imposes its requirements, who cranks up the pressure, and who keeps swapping and changing, but a customer that they want to work with in the long term, because the relationship is a demanding yet loyal one.

How do you turn the procurement function into a catalyst for improving performance and creating a positive impact?

By refusing to separate the two. A purchase that boosts performance at the cost of destroying a supplier or depleting a resource is not a good purchase. We work to get our suppliers on board with our Positive Impact strategy, whether regarding timber, raw materials or labour conditions. It creates a ripple effect. Basically, Schmidt Groupe makes certain demands of its suppliers, and its suppliers pass those demands onto their own supply chains. That’s how you transform an industry.

What do you do here that you couldn’t do anywhere else?

Advocacy. I’m not just a CPO. I’m convinced that procurement can change supply chains. Schmidt Groupe gives me the legitimacy and scope to lobby for change, because it’s an independent, family-run group that shares the same conviction. In a listed organisation, which is under pressure to deliver specific results every quarter, there would be no way to pursue this long-term vision. At Schmidt Groupe, it’s in our DNA.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

Quite simply, I’d be a bespoke unit, because it features a blend of technical precision, optimised resources, and attention to detail, while meeting a very specific and long-lasting need. Just like procurement, it’s designed to deliver performance over time. Every material and every component is chosen with the utmost care, while striving to strike the best balance between quality, cost and impact.

Above all, it doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s forged by an ecosystem of partners and expertise that we coordinate with great care and respect, just like a well-executed procurement strategy.

When and how did you join Schmidt Groupe? What was the context?

I joined Schmidt Groupe when I was 30 after previously working at Procter & Gamble. Since then, I’ve been involved in every aspect of the business, such as leading the network, obtaining ISO certification, managing the UK subsidiary, launching ID PRO, and heading up sales in France. Those 16 years have brought plenty of opportunities for mobility and learning, as well as their fair share of challenges. This 360-degree understanding of the Group and its network has given me the comprehensive vision needed to lead our sales strategy.

What is the greatest challenge involved in leading the Group’s business development today?

Ensuring that our strategic vision is aligned with the real expectations of our customers and markets, while forging stronger personal relationships with our dealers/partners. Performance is not a given. It’s achieved by maintaining the highest standards day in, day out, through close contact with our teams and partners. My ambition is to combine growth, operational excellence and customer intimacy to establish Schmidt Groupe’s reputation as the gold standard in the international marketplace.

How is the Group’s sales strategy evolving? How does it remain true to the company’s culture?

Our Extended Enterprise may be growing, but our DNA remains intact. Above all, we choose partners who champion the same values as the Group. The strategy is evolving through our international growth, ID PRO, and innovation. But the loyalty to our Group’s culture is reflected in our human relationships: we don’t sell to our dealers, we build the business with them. This structured form of interdependence is our strength.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

An internal drawer, since its French name (which translates as an “English-style drawer”) reminds me of the Schmidt UK subsidiary that I managed from 2016 to 2021. An internal drawer is concealed behind the main drawer’s front, which is ideal for improving storage for cutlery, utensils or food, while maintaining a sleek design. What I like about this concept is that it says a lot with very little. The front looks simple enough, but take a look behind and you’ll see how the contents have been organised down to the smallest detail. They’re efficient, invisible — but essential. That’s exactly what I look for in our sales performance, i.e. a system where everything runs seamlessly, so that customers only see the end result.

Why did you choose to join Schmidt Groupe in 2018?

To join the finest company in the world, and I really mean that. What won me over was the rare combination of a company that was deeply attached to its history, its home region of Alsace and its family values, while offering tremendous potential for growth. Other compelling reasons include the two finest brands in the interior design market, best-in-class manufacturing facilities, a network of nearly 1,000 committed entrepreneurs with close ties to customers in France and abroad, an ambition backed by solid resources, and real values reflected in all the Group’s actions. That’s exactly what convinced me.

What are the key focus areas for transforming the Group today?

We’re aiming to grow the business significantly (internationally, home living solutions market, B2B market, etc.), while enhancing satisfaction across the entire ecosystem (employees, customers and partners) and creating a positive impact through our social, environmental and economic responsibility in a radically changing world. We can count on the support of our brands, technology and, of course, the talent community working within the Extended Enterprise. That’s our Positive Impact strategy.

What will you find in Schmidt Groupe that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

We have the finest brands, exceptional and highly engaged teams, cutting-edge sites and facilities, a network of unrivalled strength, fantastically beautiful and flawlessly designed products, and above all, values that are not just words, but are inextricably woven into the DNA of the company, its leaders and its teams. Finally, we’re solid performers in the short term, but we’re also great at playing the long game. What else? Schmidt Groupe is a company that gives a sense of meaning to our work and where we are proud to work.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

Since I believe in working hard and playing hard, a kitchen island seems to embody those two qualities. It’s where we prepare meals and also where we enjoy them, where we can spend quality time with friends and family… it satisfies our functional and emotional needs.

When and how did you join the company? What was the context?

I joined in 2018 with the clear brief of supporting the Group’s cultural transformation. After a 20-year stint in the industry at the Hager Group, I wanted to make my contribution to a project that meant something to me and where I could truly find a sense of self-fulfilment. Schmidt Groupe ticked all those boxes with its dynamic environment and collective energy.

What is the greatest daily challenge that you face as the Group’s Chief Sustainable Transformation Officer?

Driving the Group’s economic development while producing a positive impact without compromising on our values. Ensuring that every decision and every business transformation is first analysed in terms of its ability to improve sustainability. CSR used to be just one of the decision-making criteria, but now it’s the top criterion, which constitutes a major cultural shift.

Why has CSR been a priority at Schmidt Groupe for so long, and even more so today?

CSR has always coursed through the Group’s veins, even before the term existed. Today, CSR serves as our compass. It guides the Group’s transformation strategies. It’s not a side issue, but the top priority. This is reflected in our Positive Impact strategy and our B Corp certification, which has the effect of constantly challenging the Group to find new ways of creating an impact. It’s a strong conviction that forms an integral part of our genetic makeup.

What particularly inspires you at Schmidt Groupe that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

The momentum and the collective spirit. Things are always happening in the company. There’s energy and drive. Above all, there’s the collective ability to bring about change and work together. It’s primarily a challenge on both a cultural and personal level. And what a team!

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

I’d be the Cuisinellà larder unit, since it’s a bit like a Swiss Army knife that is capable of adapting to every situation. With its modular design, it can be used to improve storage and everyday use. It features a blend of style and efficiency. That’s exactly what appeals to me, namely its ability to reflect our values, increase our performance and create a positive impact.

When and how did you join Schmidt Groupe? What was the context?

I started as an intern back in 2002. More than 20 years have gone by and I’m still here. This family-run company has given me the opportunity to grow, move around and take part in inspiring projects. From production to the IS Division, every step has given me a clearer insight into the company in all its complexity.

What are the main challenges involved in leading the Group’s digital transformation?

We face three major challenges: robustness and resilience, security, and intelligent data management. The IS Division is responsible for supporting the Group’s efforts to transform its business and its industrial processes with reliable, secure and high-performance systems.

How will AI revolutionise work practices within the Group and contribute to operational excellence?

AI opens up new prospects for the Group. It challenges us to rethink the customer journey, the experience in our showrooms, the way in which customers visualise their ultra-personalised home interiors, and the post-purchase relationship.

But one principle at Schmidt Groupe is not open for negotiation: AI may make suggestions, but people ultimately decide. We’re exploring AI as part of a methodological, ambitious and responsible approach.

We’re currently working on three strategic focus areas, i.e. rolling out AI solutions for all employees, developing specialised AI agents for each functional business area (customer relations, maintenance, etc.), and transforming the business through disruptive innovations. A prime example is the AI-powered Styl’IA solution that helps our designers generate personalised 3D kitchens.

AI is transforming the customer journey, the showroom experience, and the ability to create personalised designs. It’s a game-changer, provided that we keep people in the driving seat.

If you were a Schmidt Groupe product, which one would you be and why?

A kitchen designed by Cubro, due to the brand’s inquisitive mind, innovative flair, originality, and start-up spirit that constantly pushes the boundaries and imagines what has yet to be invented.