The National Kitchen & Bath Association is pleased to announce Oliver Bleich, as the newest member of its Global Connect Advisor team. This group consists of subject matter experts in the fields of sales, distribution, marketing, brand, product development, design licensing, and business management, for the residential kitchen and bath industry. Each has been selected to offer insights to NKBA Global Connect Subscriber brands interested in entering the North American kitchen and bath marketplace.

Bleich is the Founder and President of Vella LLC, a consulting firm/importer focused on supporting international companies in their efforts to establish or expand their business in North America.  Among Vella’s current client brands are KEUCO and HARO (Hamberger Sanitary) from Germany, Woodio from Finland, and Duplach Group from Spain.

Originally from the Black Forest area in Germany, Bleich started his career in thekitchen & bath industry in product management and marketing roles at Hansgrohe in Germany and in the US, before moving to the US permanently in 2002, where he spent the next 10 years as Director of Marketing and later, in a dual role, as Business Development Manager in Central America for Dornbracht Americas.

Following the setup of the North American subsidiary operations for META Storage Solutions, and after working with German premium kitchen cabinet brand SieMatic as their Director of Business Development for the independent showroom partner channel, Bleich served as Managing Director at KEUCO North America, before founding Vella LLC in 2020.

His professional expertise includes strategic planning, sales, marketing, business development, product management, finance, operations, logistics, and intercultural relations, especially in the context of foreign-owned subsidiaries operating in North America.

Bleich currently resides in Sugar Hill, Georgia, with his wife, Trecy, and his son, Ethan.

NKBA Global Connect Advisors

The inaugural NKBA Global Connect Advisors roster includes kitchen and bath industry professionals with a deep knowledge of best practices in key areas. 

NKBA Global Connect Advisors will be incorporated into various events and speaking engagements produced by the NKBA on behalf of NKBA Global Connect Subscribers. For more information on NKBA Global Connect, please contact globalconnect@nkba.org.