Old love never dies
On leaving and returning
Roger Wyss will never forget the date he joined Geberit. But even the “best day of his life” didn’t stop him from seeking his fortune elsewhere after twelve years – before rejoining the fold again afterwards.
When Roger Wyss walks through the doors at Geberit in Rapper¬swil-Jona on 1 July 2023, everything feels familiar. This is the second time the 53-year-old from the municipality of Wald (CH) has experienced his first day at Geberit. After an absence of seven years, he returns to head up the product line showers and bathtubs.
Love at first sight
His exciting journey started almost 20 years earlier. The date is 1 June 2004. He remembers it well. On this day, the graduate civil engineer starts as Product Manager Supply Systems in Rapperswil-Jona. “This was the best day of my life.” He not only has a new job, but it is also his birthday – and he meets his future wife Lorenza here as well. It was love at first sight – and not only with Geberit.
Roger Wyss grasps the opportunity when it comes about. After a few years in product management he becomes Head Technical Documentation, before he is asked about taking on a new position in China in 2010. As Head of Product Asia/Pacific, his time in Shanghai is a formative period. “I enjoyed a lot of freedom and was able to thrive.” However, this feeling is missing when he returns to Switzerland in 2015. “I couldn’t find my place again at Geberit.” After twelve years at Geberit, he hands in his notice.
Dynamic times
He stays loyal to the branch and works at small and medium-sized companies for shower solutions, drainage systems and powder-coating plants. His duties are diverse – from customer service and product management to marketing. “These were exciting experiences in a very dynamic and lively environment.”
Over time, these dynamics gradually sap his energy. When Geberit advertises for the position as Product Manager for Shower Solutions and Bathtubs, he is keen to return. And Geberit recruits him for the second time.
Return following a change of scenery
Roger Wyss is always on the move – both at work and at home. He paints, sews and works on writing a book. Together with his wife, he buys and renovates an old guest house in the Zürcher Oberland – a lively place with animals, a garden and a small art studio. He is not a fan of standing still. Roger Wyss can easily adapt to new things.
As a result, his new beginning at Geberit goes without a hitch. “I got a lot of positive feedback in advance and was looking forward to everything that awaited me,” he says. According to Roger Wyss, the change of scenery and experiences in other companies were a valuable learning experience. “However, they really showed what makes Geberit so special. The culture, camaraderie and support – these are things that you don’t find everywhere.”
