Change of Managing Directors: Ensuring success with digitalization

Family business from Stockstadt now in its fourth generation

Aileen and Kevin, two of his four children, have decided to join the family business.

Kevin Gunold studied Business Administration and Law with a Bachelor of Arts degree and worked for a company in the automotive industry after graduating. He then joined the family business in 2017, devoting himself in particular to the relaunch of the Sulky Shop for the consumer market (www.sulky-shop.de) before taking on the position of Sales Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2020. With the digitalization of the family business firmly in mind, he also devoted himself in his new position to the redevelopment of the existing Gunold online store (www.gunold.de) and gradually took on further areas of responsibility and topics of management. “This was important for me to be able to make necessary decisions in the role of Managing Director,” says Kevin Gunold.

His sister Aileen Gunold completed her studies in International Business Administration in Mainz and South Carolina (USA) and worked in management and marketing consultancies for over 15 years until 2023, before deciding to share the management of the company with her brother. “Due to my consulting activities in various industries and for different company sizes, I quickly realized what an exciting task this is. The opportunities to shape the company are much greater in your own family business,” says Aileen Gunold.

Thanks to her many years of experience in various industries, Aileen has a high level of expertise in strategic and operational tasks in the areas of business development, marketing, customer experience management and business transformation. All the best prerequisites for further developing the family business and leading it into the future. “The decisive factor is and will continue to be being able to offer our customers the right products and the right service,” emphasize Aileen and Kevin Gunold.

Smoothly and with consideration!

Finding and creating the right balance between continuity and constant change is the declared common goal. Always being open to change and taking everyone with us. “We focus on the needs of our customers and our employees and see where we need to react to changes and adapt our offering and working methods,” emphasize Aileen and Kevin Gunold. This is where digitalization offers enormous advantages for a medium-sized company like GUNOLD, for example in sales, for which a wide variety of sales channels need to be used today. A high level of reliability in terms of products and service as well as online ordering options around the clock are the cornerstones that GUNOLD offers its customers. “We will continue on our digital path in order to keep up with the times and always offer our customers the best possible service,” the siblings announce. For long-term competitiveness, it is also crucial to make business models sustainable in terms of environmental and social aspects. “For every family business, it is vital that the next generation is ready to follow in their footsteps. And so I am very pleased that Aileen and Kevin see their future in the Gunold GmbH,” says Christoph Gunold, who will remain active in the company until the end of 2024. “But even after that, we know that he will always be there to give us good advice whenever we need it,” emphasize the siblings.

Marketing Manager and uncle Stephan Gunold, who will be working at the company for a few more years, adds: “I personally really enjoy working with young team members and especially with Aileen and Kevin, it's great. The trick is to utilize the potential of the younger generation and integrate them into existing, long-standing relationships with employees who have been and continue to be a reliable asset for many years.”

Digitalization is an important key to the company's success; another is succession planning. GUNOLD GmbH has set the course for further successful years in both areas.

www.gunold.de