Häfele, the UK’s leading distributor of furniture fittings to the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom market, has appointed Gemma McRae as its new Chief Sales Officer – Key Accounts, who says there’s a “relentless determination” across the business to ensure it continues to lead the market.
Gemma began her career working for Office Depot and stationery giant BIC in account management roles. She later joined Travis Perkins Managed Services as Bid Manager, overseeing the marketing, pricing and customer service divisions – an experience she describes as “the perfect entry point into the repairs, maintenance and construction market”.
During her time at Travis Perkins, Gemma was promoted to Regional Director, and in 2019, moved across to the business’ kitchens and joinery arm Benchmarx as Sales and Marketing Director. She left the business in 2023, taking roles as Group Operations Director and Managing Director with firms in the power tools sector, before joining Häfele earlier this year.
She says her career highlights to date include achieving record-breaking sales within the contract division of Benchmarx and significantly developing the company’s social housing sector proposition.
Additionally, Gemma has relished mentoring and training newcomers to
the industry – many of whom now hold senior roles with leading businesses in the sector.
In her new role with Häfele, Gemma will manage the business’ salesforce focusing on key accounts, developing new strategies to drive revenues with these customers. She’ll work alongside Gareth Bevan, who was appointed as Chief Sales Officer in 2019, and who will now focus specifically on trade sales and merchants.
Gemma will also help raise further awareness of the company’s specialist capabilities – particularly in manufacturing. Having worked closely with Häfele during her time at Benchmarx, Gemma says she’s well acquainted with the brand and is proud to now be playing a key role in its future success.
“As a former Häfele customer, I bring a unique perspective. I’ve experienced firsthand the company’s outstanding people and culture, and I also understand what truly matters to end users,” said Gemma. “Häfele positions itself as a true extension of its customers’ operations. Through our service offering, product innovation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities, we’re perfectly placed to help our customers succeed in an ever-evolving market”.
“The industry is facing new challenges, making it more competitive than ever. But Häfele is an agile, forward-thinking organisation, committed to maximising the value of its partnerships. As a team, we’re deeply focused on understanding our customers’ changing needs and using those insights to deliver sustainable, efficient solutions that drive their growth.
“My motto is ‘never stand still’, and that mindset resonates throughout the business. There’s an unwavering energy and relentless determination to lead the market and reinvest in the areas our customers count on most. I’m incredibly proud to now be part of the Häfele team.”
