Change at the Karlie Group

After three years at the helm of the Karlie Group, Dr Angelika Westerwelle is turning her back on the pet supplies company belonging to investment firm Perusa and based in Bad Wünnenberg-Haaren. The reason for this decision is described as "differing views regarding the corporate strategy" by the Karlie Group.
Dr Angelika Westerwelle has earned great credit in bringing together the companies operating under the Karlie Group umbrella. Under her stewardship, the group added the English company Sharples & Grant to the existing organisation comprising Karlie and the Belgian Flamingo Group. Annual sales by the Karlie Group are in excess of € 100 mio, with exports accounting for over half of this figure. The group is strongly export-oriented and distributes its products to around 70 countries worldwide.

Driving integration forward
Dr Michael Perlitz has been named as successor to Dr Wester­welle. He is responsible for marketing, distribution, production, quality management, purchasing and logistics for the group as a whole. The new incumbent has been working in management in industry, the retail trade, consultancy and private-equity-run companies for the last 20 years, spending five years respectively in shipbuilding, strategic corporate consultancy and in the chemical industry. His appointments include laboratory head and procurement manager at American Cyanamid and head of purchasing at Tchibo Logistik GmbH. The Karlie Group expects Perlitz to drive the integration of the companies forward. This could include streamlining and standardising the product ranges, along with bundling of the purchasing volumes and developing a unique selling proposition to distinguish the group from its competitors.
Rainer Uhlhorn remains the commercial director. He has had responsibility for finance, controlling, accounting, HR, IT and legal affairs at the Karlie Group since November 2013. Erwin van Tendeloo was appointed chairman of the board.
Perusa buys bonds
At the same time, Perusa is buying bonds to the value of € 3 mio in the Karlie Group at a rate that is above the average market price of the bond in the last few weeks. This could be a sign that the investment company will exert greater influence on the fortunes of the group…