In a landmark shift for one of Britain’s most respected family-owned manufacturers, Stannah announced Tuesday that its first-ever non-family chief executives have been appointed to lead the 158-year-old stairlift and lifting solutions company. The firm has announced that Marco Luna and Archie Hungwe will jointly take on the role of co-CEOs, marking a historic departure from the long tradition of Stannah family leadership since the founding in 1867. This reflects the strategic evolution of the company as it adapts to a rapidly changing global market, yetpreserves the values and craftsmanship that have shaped its reputation over more than a century.
The decision comes at a time when many heritage companies face pressure to modernize, digitalize, and expand internationally. For Stannah, known worldwide for its stairlifts, passenger lifts, and mobility solutions, the transition signals an avowed embracing of outside expertise. The Stannah family has been heavily invested in the business for five generations, guiding it through major industrial and technological shifts. However, with the scale and ambition of the company continuing to grow, executive responsibilities have become increasingly complex-a fact which has prompted the family to make what it termed a “future-focused leadership decision.”
Marco Luna is one of the new co-CEOs and has wide-ranging experience in global manufacturing, operational excellence, and scaling engineering-led businesses. He has held senior management positions with large European industrial companies and enjoys widespread recognition for his strategic clarity and people-centric leadership style. His background places him in an excellent position to reinforce efforts for production efficiency, supply-chain resilience, and international expansion at Stannah.
Sharing the CEO role, Archie Hungwe has developed an impressive record in transformation leadership, organisational culture, and digital innovation. He has led large teams for multinational firms in comprehensive restructuring efforts and brings a history of driving business growth through technology adoption and process modernization. Stannah expects him to accelerate the company’s digital transformation and improve customer experience platforms with a wider reach into emerging global markets.
The dual-CEO model is designed to balance Stannah’s heritage with the skills it needs for contemporary growth. The Stannah family will remain actively involved at board level, thus ensuring continuity of the business’ purpose-driven ethos, while freeing day-to-day leadership to operate with broader corporate experience. Many remain directors and shareholders, confirming their active commitment to long-term strategy leadership within the company.
According to company statements, the leadership change is part of a multi-year succession planning process. In a statement, Stannah’s board noted that the demands of running a modern global business require a blend of tradition and innovation. The decision to appoint both Luna and Hungwe is meant to safeguard the core values driving the company-quality craftsmanship, trust, and customer care-while simultaneously empowering individuals able to delve deep into the intricacies of the contemporary industrial landscape.
The transition fits in the larger current change in family-owned enterprises across Europe, as many of the long-standing family businesses move to hybrid governance models that couple family stewardship with external executive leadership. Many of these companies are facing increased competition, shifting consumer expectations, and the need to adopt digital technologies-challenges that benefit from bringing in leaders with specialist experience.
For Stannah, it is an important decision, as the company holds dear the legacy of the founders and is steeped in British manufacturing heritage. The brand has long been associated with reliability and independence for elderly and mobility-impaired users. Once again, customer trust is central to the mission of the company, and the new CEOs have made it crystal clear that this will not change. Both leaders have expressed respect for Stannah’s heritage and have pledged to continue prioritizing product quality and community relationships. In the future, Stannah will likely concentrate on the expansion of its service portfolio, further investment in digital diagnostic tools, and reinforcement of its leading positions in main markets, including Europe, Asia, and North America.
There is also considerable opportunity in smart-home mobility solutions, an area in which innovation will be increasingly critical. The appointment of both Luna and Hungwe is a bold, yet well-considered step in the evolution at Stannah. It reflects both cognizance of modern business realities and confidence in the company’s preparedness to move into fresh leadership and continue to thrive. Though the era of family-led day-to-day management has come to an end, the Stannah legacy remains firmly intact, now poised to enter a new chapter defined by strategic growth, technological advancement, and a continued commitment to enhancing mobility for millions around the world.
