28.07.2025
• Villiger Group remains in family ownership
• Long-term focused strategy to be continued
• Vice-President Jvo Grundler becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors
Pfeffikon, 28 July 2025 – Heinrich Villiger passed away peacefully on 25 July 2025 at the age of 95, his family announced today. Heinrich Villiger was an active Chairman of the Board of Villiger Söhne Holding AG and Villiger Söhne AG until the end and was the third generation of the cigar manufacturer's tradition. Under his leadership, Villiger successfully developed into a renowned international company.
Corina Villiger, eldest daughter, and member of the Board of Directors of the Villiger Group: "It is with gratitude that we bid farewell to our father Heinrich Villiger, who has led the Villiger family business strategically and operationally with great commitment for 75 years He loved cigars and cigarillos - and was a passionate entrepreneur and courageous visionary, setting a lasting mark on the tobacco industry in Switzerland and beyond. Our father leaves a big gap; the privilege of continuing the tradition of the family business in the fourth and fifth generations means a lot to us".
Corina Villiger and Heinrich Villiger’s grandson Lucien Villiger have been active on the Board of Directors for many years already and will continue to represent the family on this committee, in addition to Rolf Kaufmann.
With immediate effect, Jvo Grundler, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Villiger Group since 2020, will take over as Chairman. As part of the succession planning, Heinrich Villiger had determined that the chairmanship should be taken over by Jvo Grundler as independent board member as well as trusted advisor to balance the interests of the four descendants and their families. Jvo Grundler is a lawyer and member of various boards of directors and foundations.
"Heinrich Villiger was an old-school patron who inspired employees, customers and business partners with his unique expertise, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial thinking. We will miss him very much.", Jvo Grundler said. "At the same time, I feel obliged and honoured to successfully develop the Villiger Group's long-term strategy - together with the Board of Directors, the Executive Board and the teams worldwide - in the spirit of the entrepreneur Heinrich Villiger and his family."
Villiger Group
Villiger Söhne Holding AG, based in Pfeffikon is an internationally active Swiss cigar and cigarillo manufacturer. Today, Villiger is one of the industry leaders in Europe. The family-owned company produces around 1 billion and cigars and cigarillos annually, employs over 1,200 people and generates an annual turnover of around 140 million Swiss francs.
The two companies Villiger Söhne AG in Switzerland and Villiger Söhne GmbH in Germany export to 80 countries worldwide. Production is concentrated at six locations, the company headquarters in Switzerland (Pfeffikon, Lucerne), plants and offices in Germany (Waldshut-Tiengen and Bünde-Dünne), Brazil (Bahia region), Indonesia (Jember/Ostjava) and, since 2021, as JV-partner in Nicaragua (Esteli).
Heinrich Villiger’s grandfather Jean Villiger had founded the cigar factory in Pfeffikon as a 28-year-old merchant in 1888. After his early death in 1902, his wife Louise Villiger took over the management of the company and successfully expanded abroad, initially to Germany. In 1918, she handed over the reins to her sons Hans and Max Villiger. Heinrich Villiger joined the company in 1950.
www.villigercigars.com
www.heinrichvilliger.ch
Media inquiries
Clemens Gütermann
Chairman of the Executive Board
Villiger Söhne Holding AG
5735 Pfeffikon/LU
Clemens.Guetermann@villiger.ch
Tel. +41-62-7655555