GROHE—the esteemed global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings—celebrated the opening of a new office and live center in Cairo on June 2 to offer a novel customer experience. Residing in building 44, North 90th street, New Cairo; it allows you to closely examine how their products function first-hand.
“Sustainability is one of our core values and enters into every aspect of what we do. Our factories are zero-carbon, our products are sustainable, and plastic and paper consumption are quite limited, even in our offices.”
Nizar Abdel Kader, Leader of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan at LIXIL EMENA
Towards the end of the celebration, we sat down with Nizar Abdel Kader, the leader of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan at GROHE, which is currently a part of LIXIL (a Japanese manufacturer of building materials and housing equipment, headquartered in Tokyo).
Our chat allowed us to discover how his financial background helped shape him as a business leader. Then, we went into GROHE’s main mission, core brand values, and CSR initiatives in Egypt. Finally, we discussed GROHE’s marketing approach and commercial strategy, particularly in Egypt and the Middle East.
First, Meet Nizar Abdel Kader
Abdel Kader started his journey with GROHE over a decade ago. Things kicked off in Nigeria, where he launched the brand’s regional West Africa office. “Over the years, I’ve worked across several functions and in multiple countries,” recalled Abdel Kader.
Being a graduate of the American University in Beirut with a degree in financial economics, Abdel Kader initiated his career by gaining substantial experience in financial assurances. But in his view, this was also crucial in shaping him into the business leader he is today.
“Establishing an entity and working on its commercial aspect, especially in an organization like GROHE, which is a sales organization in many aspects, necessitates a strong financial background.”
“Having a financial background, having financial experience, and being formally educated in it is a crucial pillar when it comes to establishing a corporation and developing its commercial aspect,” he clarified. “My role includes many financial aspects; I manage P&L, all the budgets, and so on. There’s a marriage between the commercial aspect—sales, marketing, etc.—and finance.”
As for leading Egypt, Libya, and Sudan, Abdel Kader has been doing it for about a year and a half.
Before we get into what he had to say about GROHE’s plans for Egypt, let’s take a look at what drives the brand!
GROHE’s Brand Values & Honest Commitment to Sustainability
Quality, technology, design, and sustainability stand as GROHE’s four core values. According to Abdel Kader, they strive to integrate those values into every aspect of their work.
With numerous brands jumping on the bandwagon of sustainability and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals without having any significant impact, it’s easy to doubt GROHE’s commitment to sustainability or at least be skeptical about it. But they stand out in how dedicated they are to this value.
For starters, they ensure their solar energy-powered factories produce zero carbon emissions. Additionally, they minimize plastic and paper consumption in everything they do, including in their production and packaging and even in every GROHE office around the world.
“Sustainability is one of our core values and enters into every aspect we do. We’re shaping the future of water and setting trends in the market,” Abdel Kader told us when we inquired about how the brand perceives its leading role. “And there can never be any pulling of strings between being sustainable and commercial.”
“LIXIR’s main mission is to make better homes a reality for everyone everywhere. And that’s what GROHE is going to focus on in Egypt as well.”
The Brand’s Expanding Role in Egypt
GROHE has been in the Egyptian market for decades. In fact, it’s one of their most valued markets in the region, according to Abdel Kader. “We operate the entire Middle East from Egypt via warehouses, safety stock, etc. Investing in Egypt isn’t new,” he pointed out. These investments also include a marketing approach working hand in hand with a commercial strategy alongside giving back to the community.
The Marketing Approach & Localizing Campaigns for the Middle East
We asked Abdel Kader about the impression GROHE aims to convey to the Egyptian market. He gave a comprehensive reply: “We’re here to stay. We’re looking to expand and grow. We want to get even closer to the consumers and professionals. They’re both important influencers and partners to us. We want to engage with them and act according to their feedback.”
To reflect that, the brand shall release MENA-localized campaigns very soon!
GROHE’s CSR in Egypt: The Green Mosque and the Green Hospital
Two prime examples of GROHE giving back to the community are their “Green Mosque” and “Green Hospital” initiatives. Both clarify the brand’s core values.
The Green Mosque involved changing water systems in numerous mosques across Egypt. The goal was to save on water consumption in the long run—which reflects our keenness on sustainability—but it also exhibited the brand’s proactiveness in charitable work in general. “For every liter of water saved, we contributed food to the underprivileged in Egypt via the Egyptian Food Bank,” asserted Abdel Kader.
The Green Hospital, on the other hand, focused on installing water-saving faucets at three hospitals in
Port Said, in partnership with Egypt’s General Authority for Healthcare with the aim of reducing water consumption in medical institutions by 30%, while reducing the risk of disease transmission.
“There are many other investments being lined up in Egypt, real investments in terms of brand presence, and once it’s ready we’ll definitely discuss it,” Abdel Kader stated as we concluded our chat.
You can learn more about GROHE by visiting their website, Instagram, or Facebook.
