New management structure at Fressnapf

On 1 October the Fressnapf Group changed its management structure. Alfred Glander becomes chairman of the executive board (CEO), while Hans-Jörg Gidlewitz continues to be responsible for finance, IT, human resources and now also legal affairs in his capacity as commercial director (CFO). The two lead a management board of nine further senior executives (see box), which oversees the operational business as a whole. The members of the management group also include two senior vice-presidents of sales: Norbert Marschallinger, the former country manager for Austria, who will be responsible in future for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, and Michael Trapp, previously responsible for regional sales in Europe and now senior vice-president for Italy, France, Poland, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Hungary, with responsibility also for expansion. The respective country managers will report directly to these two vice-presidents in future.Company founder and proprietor Torsten Toeller is stepping down from the day-to-day running of the business, but will carry on as chairman of the administrative board. The administrative board of Fressnapf Holding SE will continue to advance the development of the business in close consultation with the management. Folkert Schultz will move from the management to the administrative board, which will then have five members. Marc Lukies is leaving the management of Fressnapf after around 14 years and will assume new responsibilities in future in Allegro Invest SE, Toeller's family office."A position of strength""We are acting from a position of strength so as to achieve long-term profitable growth in the future. We are consolidating our market leadership in Europe in all channels," says Glander. In the next five years, the number of stores is expected to double from 700 at present to 1 400. Fressnapf also has another 700 or so stores in Germany that are operated as franchises. Future expansion is expected to focus on France, Italy and Poland as well as Germany. Entering the market in other countries is not currently on the agenda, but has not been ruled out in future, Glander was keen to stress. 

Integration of the online chan­­nel and establishing this internationally are to be pushed further to turn the company into an integrated cross-channel retailer. Glander describes the…