JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. Names William J. Christensen Chief Executive Officer

William (Bill) J. Christensen is Jeld-Wen Holding Inc.’s new chief executive officer effective immediately. He also joins the company’s board as a director. Christensen brings a focus on simplifying the company’s business, improving execution and delivering profitable growth.

Christensen, 49, joined the company in April 2022 as executive vice president and president of Jeld-Wen Europe after serving as CEO and group executive board chair of REHAU AG. Christensen says his many years of experience in manufacturing and building products industries have prepared him for his new role with Jeld-Wen.

“Prior to joining JELD-WEN, I was CEO and group executive board chair at REHAU AG, a large supplier to industries, including building products,” Christensen tells [DWM] magazine. “My experience, including the last eight months leading Jeld-Wen Europe, give me a good foundation for managing through the challenges ahead.”

David G. Nord, chair of the Jeld-Wen board of directors, says Christensen’s appointment comes after an “extensive search process with many highly qualified candidates.”

“We are confident that Bill is the right leader to drive Jeld-Wen forward at this important time for the company,” Nord says. “Bill’s understanding of our organization, prior CEO experience in the building products industry and proven ability to lead transformation in global manufacturing businesses make him the right choice. We look forward to working with Bill as we continue to simplify and streamline the company to better compete in the markets we serve and drive more value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Moving forward, Christensen’s focus will be simplifying Jeld-Wen’s business, improving execution and delivering profitable growth. He looks forward to bringing “needed stability” to the leadership team.

“I’m honored to take on the role as Jeld-Wen’s CEO at a pivotal time in the company’s history,” adds Christensen. “I’m confident in Jeld-Wen’s future and look forward to working closely with the board of directors, the senior management team and our global associates to deliver profitable growth and increased value to our stakeholders.”

For Christensen, that confidence comes from believing in the company’s products and its people.

“Jeld-Wen is a global family of brands that manufactures quality products built by talented people who are committed to making our company great,” he tells [DWM] magazine.

Kevin C. Lilly, who served as interim CEO, will assume the role of executive vice president, global transformation, where he will lead enterprise transformation initiatives. In addition, Lilly will provide executive oversight for Jeld-Wen Europe and continue to have responsibility for the global information technology organization.

“I want to thank Kevin for his outstanding leadership of the company over the past several months. He has consistently demonstrated an ability to drive change while improving execution across the business and will continue to be an important leader within our organization. With the senior leadership changes we’ve made this year, culminating with the appointment of Bill as CEO, we are positioning Jeld-Wen to deliver on its full potential,” Nord says.