From July 1, 2023, Mr. Stefan Schwarz, a graduate business administration, will take over the role of Chief Executive Officer as the successor to Carina Schiestl-Swarovski, who has been Chair of the Advisory Board and Supervisory Board of Swarovski-Optik AG & Co KG since January 1, 2023. With the appointment of its new CEO, the Tyrolean family-owned company is gaining an expert with a proven track record, a strong focus on quality, and a wealth of international experience. SWAROVSKI OPTIK can look back on decades of successful development. In 2022, the company recorded the most successful year in its history, with turnover of 216.4 million euros. Innovation, digitalization, international growth with existing and new target groups, and continued forward integration are the key themes for the future at SWAROVSKI OPTIK.
“I am very pleased that we were able to recruit Stefan Schwarz as the new CEO of our company. We are gaining a leader with a wealth of international experience and extensive expertise in branding and sales, combined with a strong focus on quality. His great affinity with nature and deep understanding of the outdoor sector make him an ideal fit for the family corporate culture that underpins our activities worldwide, He has the ability to motivate and inspire others. Stefan Schwarz will continue to fulfill SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s mission: to inspire people to love and care for nature by bringing them closer to the preciousness of the moment. We are convinced that he is the right person to successfully lead our company into the future and continue to consolidate our position as a global market leader,” confirms Carina Schiestl-Swarovski, Chair of the Advisory Board of Swarovski Optik AG & Co. KG.
Stefan Schwarz, who is married with two grown-up sons, has over two decades of management experience in the outdoor sector. In his role as General Manager at Amer Sports, he structured the complete brand portfolio: Salomon, Arc’teryx, Wilson, Suunto, Peak Performance, Atomic, Precor. His key achievements for Salomon included successful development of the brand in the Far East and management of Global Omni Channel Business, most recently also in his role as a member of the Board. He has demonstrated his international marketing and sales expertise on a global level for many years. “Together with my colleagues on the Executive Board and all employees, I am looking forward to my new task of aligning SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s future strategy with the challenges of the day and unlocking the resulting potential. Together, we will lead this visionary company and strong brand with its high-quality innovative products into the next growth phase and continue its successful trajectory as a global market leader. SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s vision, values, and raison d’être will remain the foundation for this”, explains the born Bavarian.
Over the last fifteen years, SWAROVSKI OPTIK, a family-owned company founded in 1949, has demonstrated an impressive success story, more than doubling its turnover in the course of this period. The company’s turnover last year was 216.4 million euros (+6% from the previous year). 91% of products are exported. SWAROVSKI OPTIK is represented globally in 92 countries, with direct sales in 47 countries. Europe and North America are its core markets. SWAROVSKI OPTIK currently employs over 1,100 people around the world, with around 900 based in Absam. As a visionary company, the premium supplier of high-quality long-range optics sets clear goals to drive its continuous growth. Surprising customers with innovative products, international growth in the three target groups of hunting, birdwatching, and outdoor, as well as forward integration and digitalization throughout the entire company are SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s key priorities for the coming years.