LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — GE Appliances, a Haier company, has named Khalid Qirem vice president of Air & Water Solutions. In this role, Qirem will lead the company's water heating, commercial and residential HVAC product lines, while also overseeing a dedicated team that includes sales, marketing, and customer training and support. Khalid will be based at the company’s headquarters in Louisville, KY.
Air & Water Solutions continues to build on its founding mission of serving the unique needs of plumbing and HVAC pros. Since launching in 2020, this GE Appliances business sector has nearly doubled its product portfolio and invested over $100 million in U.S. manufacturing at its Selmer, Tennessee and Camden, South Carolina plants.
The business offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial and residential HVAC systems, water treatment and filtration solutions, and gas and electric water heaters. Qirem’s leadership will oversee the launch of a new addition to the portfolio, the fourth generation GE Profile GEOSPRING Smart Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater, launching in June 2025. The GEOSPRING is the most advanced heat pump water heater in the industry, delivering up to 20% more energy efficiency compared to other heat pump water heaters and utilizing patented FlexCapacity technology to provide up to 60% more hot water than similar modelsk GE says.
"We have a long history of bringing industry-first innovations to this category,” said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances. “We were the first to introduce a heat pump water heater to the residential market in 2008 and we created the PTAC (packaged terminal air conditioner) with our Zoneline product. With our appliances in more than 50 percent of U.S. homes, our strong brand equity, combined with our best-in-class logistics network and digital capabilities, makes us an ideal partner for delivering innovative water and HVAC solutions. Under Khalid's leadership, we will leverage these strengths to provide the products, technology and training that our customers in the plumbing and HVAC industry are looking for."
Qirem brings deep expertise in commercial building systems and a proven track record of setting visionary business strategies and executing successful market transformations. Most recently at Oldcastle Building Envelope, he led growth and business transformation in the commercial sector. Before that, he founded and scaled Nortek's Data Center Cooling division into a global enterprise worth hundreds of millions. His international experience includes eight years at Johnson Controls, ultimately serving as vice president and general manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council region. In that role, Khalid oversaw all sales and operations, led comprehensive P&L responsibilities and developed strategies that drove market share growth and profitability.
"Air & Water Solutions has built an impressive foundation for success," said Qirem. "With our Pro-centric approach, best-in-class logistics network, and the power of the GE Appliances brand behind us, we have all the elements needed to accelerate our growth. I'm excited to work with our team to deliver even more value to our customers in the HVAC and water industry."
For more information, visit GEAppliancesAirAndWater.com.