Patrick Zahn steps down as Kik CEO after 18 years

Kik CEO Patrick Zahn has left his company after eighteen years: he is not renewing his contract and had his last working day at the textile discounter today. The company is looking for a successor.

Changes in management

Zahn started at Kik as Business Unit Manager Foreign Countries, then became Managing Director Sales and moved up to the CEO position in 2016. Under his leadership, Kik (short for the German for “Customer is King”) continued its international expansion and came up with a CRM system, new store concepts and multiple sourcing offices. He steered the chain through the Covid-19 crisis and built a professional sustainability department.

Until a new CEO is appointed, the executive board will consist of CFO Christian Kümmel (who has only been in office since 1 August) and Agnieszka Jaworska (who will take office in November). She will assume responsibility for purchasing, product range and supplies, as COO Dirk Ankenbrand left in July for personal reasons with Zahn initially taking over his duties.