#Interview

«We love and live teamwork»

On 1 January 2021 Simone Stuber took over as CEO, Xaver Schuler as Head of Sales and Ivo Notz as Head of Coordination the management of Stuber Team AG from Gerd Stuber. In the last few years, the brothers Gerd and Roger Stuber, who had taken over the management of the company from their father 25 years ago, have been carefully preparing the handover process with much blood, sweat and tears. This is reason enough to talk with the new management about the status quo and the future of Stuber Team.


Dear Simone, dear Ivo, dear Xaver, the amount of enthusiasm, joy and pride I sense when I walk through the showroom with you never ceases to amaze me. Simone, when you were 16, could you have imagined taking over your father and uncle’s company one day?


Simone Stuber: At 16 I probably had other things on my mind that had nothing to do with selling kitchens. (Laughing) No, seriously, I sensed from a young age what it means to grow up in a family business. One can’t do without the other: The family can’t do without the business, and the business can’t do without the family. I am therefore delighted to be given the opportunity to continue the family business. And I am very pleased that I can do this together with our long-time employees Ivo and Xaver.

Ivo Notz: I have now been part of Stuber Team for 15 years and have always greatly appreciated the typical values of a family business such as trust, openness and respect. That's why I am particularly pleased to be a part of the management team and to help lead the family business into the future.

In the last few years you have been gradually introduced to your new jobs by Gerd and Roger Stuber. What was this time like for you?

Xaver Schuler: For me, it had parallels with buying a new kitchen. First you wander around the showroom, allow yourself to be inspired, gain ideas for something new. At some point you decide on change. And this is when the actual journey begins. For us, this means finding answers to the following questions: What does Stuber Team stand for? What do we want to achieve in future? How do we want to accomplish this? It takes time for ideas to take shape and become reality.

Simone Stuber: And then, in a family business, alongside the handover process, there is naturally always a succession process. My father Gerd and his brother Roger have worked with us on the new identity and positioning. Roger then withdrew from the company to concentrate on new projects. My father Gerd will remain as part of Stuber Team at strategic level as Chairman of the Board of Directors.


Since we are talking about identity and positioning. Was “Team” consciously integrated into the company name?


Simone Stuber: Yes, we write Team with a capital T, and we love and live teamwork. Our products and services are always developed as a team. Both in our company and together with customers, partners, specialist planners, architects, etc.
In the case of our employees, we take care to ensure that their resources are used in a balanced manner and in doing so ensure their healthy development in every respect. Team spirit is therefore firmly established in everyday working life at Stuber Team.


What does the future hold for Stuber Team? Kitchens are the focal point in almost every home, but they are now also the starting point for a whole lifestyle. They are no longer a limited, closed-off area like they used to be.


Ivo Notz: That’s true, the times when kitchens had to hide behind closed doors are fortunately over. Today kitchens are often part of the living area and therefore designed to be open and inviting. The kitchen conversion therefore often marks the starting point for further renovation ideas.

Simone Stuber: Precisely. This means that we will be seeking a stronger position in the conversion market in future. Switzerland is densely populated, and there is very little room for newbuilds. But there are a lot of apartments and family homes that will be modified to meet present-day needs in the next few years. We are aware that these are not only of a material nature, but that emotions are always also centre stage. And we are already looking forward to many unique encounters with people who are seeking to make changes to their rooms.


Is this where the guiding principle “We make changing rooms a perfect experience” comes from?


Ivo Notz: Change always also means saying goodbye and being prepared for something new. This is why we focus on the needs of our customers, listen closely and understand what is important to them. Because we can only develop living areas that appeal to both the head and heart together with them. We then develop on this basis individual solutions that are right for the respective personality.


Xaver Schuler: In the case of a conversion, we have to focus on something that already exists and at the same time bring about a noticeable change. This requires a lot of creativity in the design stage and thinking in terms of what is possible – a great strength of Stuber Team, in my opinion.


Simone Stuber: With the team's passion for kitchens and interior design, the change is almost always a positive experience for all parties. And it is a top priority for us that all parties involved in a project are happy.