CHARLOTTE, N.C. – JELD-WEN Holding Inc. announced the appointment of William (Bill) Christensen as chief executive officer. 

Christensen, who only joined the company in April as executive vice president and president of Jeld-Wen Europe, also joined JELD-WEN’s board as a director. Prior to being hired by JELD-WEN, Christensen was CEO and group executive board chair of REHAU AG.

Christensen succeeded Kevin Lilly, who served as interim CEO since the JELD-WEN board accepted the resignation of Gary Michel without explanation. Lilly will assume the role of executive vice president, global transformation.

"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," said David Nord, chair of the JELD-WEN board of directors. "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."

JELD-WEN is a global manufacturer of interior and exterior building products including windows, interior and exterior doors, and wall systems. The company ranks No. 4 in the FDMC 300 based on estimated 2021 sales of $2.81 billion.