Hema has completely ousted Marcel Boekhoorn

Marcel Boekhoorn is dropped from the board of directors at Dutch retailer Hema: the last link between former owner and the chain has been severed.

New ownership, new rules

The retailer has issued a press release, saying that Boekhoorn is no longer a part of the board of directors, and that that decision is connected to the new ownership at the Dutch company. Last month, a group of creditors took control of Hema, as the chain’s debt was becoming dangerously high. The creditors exchanged the debts for shares, showing Boekhoorn the door in the process.

The new owners do not plan to hold on to Hema for long: the chain has already been put up for sale, leading to no fewer than eight candidate-buyers. Some interested parties are retailers (like Ahold Delhaize), some are investment funds… and two are collectives of fans who want to make sure their brand stays the way they like it.