“It always remained exciting”
Roland Iff retired at the end of 2021 after almost 30 years at the company – with over 15 of these as CFO. In this interview, the former member of the Group Executive Board looks back at his time at Geberit and details his plans for the near future.
You worked at Geberit for 28 years. This must have needed a great deal of staying power?
Profile
Roland Iff (1961) studied economics at the University of St. Gallen. In 1993, he joined Geberit as Head of Corporate Development. Following several positions at the company, he was appointed to the Group Executive Board as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2005. Roland Iff is married and the father of two children.
When I joined Geberit in 1993, I actually wasn’t planning on staying for such a long time. During my first few months, I looked after the strategic projects on behalf of the Group Executive Board. However, things then took a dramatic turn and I was given the opportunity to head up Group Controlling. After this it was a case of one challenge after another, and things remained exciting right to the end.
What things did you most enjoy at Geberit?
The people, the culture, the down-to-earth surroundings. Everyone can make a difference at Geberit as the hierarchies are flat and distances are short. We do almost everything ourselves and don’t constantly bring in consultants who work on a concept that the employees should follow without being convinced of how good it is. Furthermore, there weren’t many times during my 28 years at the company where there was a risk of falling into a routine.
Everyone can make a difference at Geberit as the hierarchies are flat and distances are short.
How do you see the future of Geberit?
We should continue to press forward in areas where we have done well in the past, such as innovation. When I started out, I asked myself what else there was to achieve in terms of sanitary technology. However, time and again Geberit has succeeded in being innovative. SuperTube, Geberit ONE and FlowFit are the latest examples of this. Geberit has to keep its eye on the ball here.