Bathroom giant Ideal Standard has announced managing director for UK and Ireland Dave Barber will retire from his position in May, following 20 years with the company.

He will be succeeded by Lisa Whitfield, who has joined Ideal Standard from Interface, a global commercial flooring company and leader in sustainability.

In her time at Interface, she has driven a number of strategic initiatives to improve customer journey and experience, including development of the team.

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Prior to her role at Interface, Whitfield spent 27 years at Newell Brands holding roles of increasing responsibility, including managing the UK writing business.

Barber has held a number of finance leadership roles at the company, including UK & Ireland finance director, and has been instrumental in the consolidation of Ideal Standard’s brands.

It has included the launch of the company’s Atelier Collections, created in collaboration with Italian studio Palomba Serafini Associati (PS+A) and its founder Roberto Palomba.

He also led the introduction, across the UK and Ireland, of Singular – Ideal Standard’s new approach to specification.

Chief executive officer at Ideal Standard International Jan Peter Tewes said: “We are hugely grateful to Dave for his commitment to Ideal Standard for the past 20 years.

“His strong leadership and knowledge of our business have been invaluable in supporting our ongoing growth and ensuring we are in the strongest position for the future.

“Lisa brings a wealth of expertise to the role and we are looking forward to seeing the UK and Irish markets continue to thrive and succeed under her direction.”

On her new appointment, Lisa Whitfield said: “This is a really exciting time to be joining Ideal Standard, with the company having made a number of strategic decisions to bolster its portfolio, bringing together its innovative technology and design credentials to create high performance solutions that are constantly challenging the market. 

“I am looking forward to working closely with the team to continue to develop and grow the business, putting a real emphasis on the service and innovation we offer to ensure we retain our market-leading position.

“It’s clear to see how much has already been achieved and that gives us a great foundation to continue on this journey.”