C&A halves board

Fashion retailer C&A halves the management of its European division: four of the seven members have resigned, only three members remain. The clothing chain wants to become faster and more efficient in a challenging fashion market.

“Lean management needed”

The reorganization of top management is part of a new strategy as decided by European CEO Alain Caparros. In August 2017, he transferred from German chain Rewe and was tasked with making the company more competitive in the fight against fast fashion competitors such as Primark or H&M.

Bart Brenninkmeijer, Frank Beeck, Andreas Seitz and Manfred Mandel are no longer part of the management, German web site Manager Magazin discovered. Beek, Mandel and Seitz also leave the company, Brenninkmeijer (member of the founding family) remains on board. The European Executive Committee now has only three members: in addition to Caparros, marketing director Martijn van der Zee and CFO Tjeerd van der Zee.

CEO Caparros explains that his company wants to make decisions faster, work more efficiently and be more flexible. Therefore a lean management is needed with clear responsibilities, flat hierarchies and short reporting and decision-making channels. Last year, sales in Europe increased by 4 % and the market share of the chain slightly increased to 7.3 % across Europe, the company claimed.