Sanipex UK, parent company of the Bagno Design brand, has appointed Richard Nicholls as UK sales director, to oversee its UK trade and project business.
He replaces Mark Walker, who left at the end of last year to set up his own business, which imports British brands into America.
Nicholls (pictured) will report directly to Sanipex managing director Daryl Barker. He joins the company from Merlyn, where he worked as commercial director.
Nicholls will be responsible for the management and development of the company’s projects and trade sales teams.
The trade business will distribute brands including Bagno Design, Galassia and Bossini to independent and multiple retailers across the UK. The projects team will work with developers, designers and main clients in all sectors of the new-build and refurbishment markets to introduce and specify the brands.
With over 20 years’ experience in the bathroom industry, Nicholls brings knowledge of the retail, new-build housing and commercial sectors. He has worked on major projects and national accounts in the UK and EMEA over the past 10 years.
In his most recent role at Merlyn, he managed the specification sales team, estimating, national merchants and export. Part of his role was to develop and maintain a channel strategy, which resulted in the development of a range of products designed with the installer in mind.
Barker said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Richard to our UK team. We have invested heavily in the UK market over the past few years and now have an established infrastructure on which we can build a strong business. Richard will play a key part in establishing Sanipex as the distribution company for our wholesale and project supply divisions in the UK.”