Press release -
Carola Sturm appointed new Vice President Europe/APAC at Schleich GmbH
Carola Sturm will become the new Vice President Europe/APAC at the toy manufacturer Schleich on March 1, 2026. Sturm's many years of expertise will drive forward Schleich's strategic development in the GAS region. “We are delighted to have Carola Sturm join us and bring her expertise and experience. Her track record in driving growth, building strong customer relationships, and developing sales teams will be a significant asset as we continue to scale and strengthen our commercial strategy”, says Dr. Manfred Ziegler, CEO Schleich GmbH. „At the same time, I would like to thank Patrick Greve for his commitment, hard work, and the input he has provided to Schleich.“
Sturm was most recently Vice President of Sales EMEA at Britax Römer. She knows Schleich well: until 2019, she worked for the company for ten years in various positions, her latest role as Director of Sales Global Distributors & Japan.
Carola Sturm succeeds Patrick Greve, who is leaving the company for private reasons and returning to his hometown, Hamburg.
Dirk Engehausen will continue to support Schleich in an advisory role in the establishment and expansion of sales structures and key account strategies in the GAS region, as well as in the development of new products.
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About Schleich
Schleich is one of Germany’s largest toy manufacturers and a leading international brand of authentic play figurines, igniting the joy of storytelling in children. Friedrich Schleich founded Schleich in 1935. Today, the famous figurines and sets made by schleich® are sold in more than 60 countries and have become a beloved feature in children’s rooms around the world, letting kids’ imagination run wild. The suitability of Schleich toys for free play has been confirmed in a study by the University of Koblenz. 89% of the surveyed parents rated Schleich’s play figurines as particularly good for stimulating the imagination. As a global player, Schleich now generates more than 60% of its turnover outside of its core market Germany and sold around 40 million animal figurines worldwide in 2024. The company is owned by Partners Group and Schleich employees.
