VanHaren CEO leaves after less than a year

Han Sterk, managing director since July last year, is leaving vanHaren. The CEO is leaving the company “by mutual consultation”, but neither Sterk nor vanHaren have yet planned any succession.

Both in search

“After more than three tumultuous years, it is time for me to leave vanHaren. It’s time for new adventures,” writes Han Sterk on LinkedIn. Sterk was CCO at the shoe chain for three years and also took over from managing director Krein Bons in July last year. Bons had left the company after 26 years of service.

VanHaren confirmed to FashionUnited that the departure was by “mutual consultation”. However, a successor has not yet been appointed. In the meantime, the tasks will be divided: CFO Robert Vos, the management team and the parent company Deichmann will take over in part.

Sterk himself has yet to find his next steps, as he revealed on LinkedIn. Initially, he wants to develop his own company, SterkSpreker, but at the same time he will “look for a new challenge in retail or elsewhere as managing director, CEO or CCO”.