Guido Schmitz

Head of Export - Sales Southern, Central and Eastern Europe (Authorised Officer)

Radevormwald, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

About

More than 34 years of experience in international sales, intercultural competence, project and key account management… just creating markets within the premium / high-range segment. Supervising a selected area of countries that covers a geographic region stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok. It includes 15 markets within the high-end segment and is based on the interaction with interior designers, architects, specialised designers, system integrators and others. Supporting the importers in the areas of acquisition, marketing, logistics, pricing and terms, customer care and technical support. All activities are naturally shaped by a proper and professional brand policy, i.e. the preservation and maintenance of brand presence. It is my job and my challenge to tap into further new markets also. Identification of a market that appears lucrative for the product portfolio. To bring new structures in line with corporate identity and so establish the brand in the newly acquired market in the long term. Being responsible for turnover, costs and the contribution margin for all markets. Competences: - Approaching new situations/people with an open mind - Communicative - Ability to adapt to a wide range of mentalities - Language skills - Goal-oriented - Honesty - Loyalty - Obliging nature - Capacity to think like partners and customers who live in completely different social structures with very distinct value systems and understand their wants and need. - Ability to grasp situations quickly, to accept them and to act independently and with certainty when making decisions - Perceiving growth opportunities beyond the German market - Exploiting additional synergy effects in product developments and in range decisions - Increasing globalisation and the associated “virtual product availability”. International acquisition and the support of indirect target groups - to go beyond local borders.

Experience

  • Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG (34 yrs 10 mos)
    • Head of Export - Sales Southern, Central and Eastern Europe (Authorised Officer / power of attorney)
      Dec 2006 - Present · 19 yrs 8 mos

      More than 33 years of experience in international sales, intercultural competence, project and key account management… just creating markets within the premium / high-range segment. Supervising a selected area of countries that covers a geographic region stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok. It includes 15 markets within the high-end segment and is based on the interaction with interior designers, architects, specialised designers, system integrators and others.

    • Export Verkaufsleiter Süd- / Mittel- Osteuropa Prokurist
      Dec 2006 - Present · 19 yrs 8 mos

    • Export Verkaufsleiter Süd- / Mittel- / Osteuropa
      Nov 1993 - Dec 2006 · 13 yrs 2 mos

  • Zanders Feinpapiere AG (D-Bergisch Gladbach)
    • Stellv. Verkaufsleiter der Ländergruppe Niederlande, Finnland und Island
      Jan 1991 - Sep 1991 · 9 mos

    • Deputy Area Sales Manager Netherlands, Finland and Iceland
      Jan 1991 - Sep 1991 · 9 mos

  • Zanders Feinpapiere AG (D-Bergisch Gladbach)
    • Hauptabteilung Verkauf Ausland / Verkaufsregion Nordeuropa: Sachbearbeiter
      1985 - 1990 · 5 yrs

    • Export division / sales area Northern Europe: Consultant / specialist
      1985 - 1990 · 5 yrs