Controversial “corporate doctor” causes unrest at Prénatal

Prénatal, the loss-making Dutch baby products chain that was recently acquired by CEO Jochem van Bueren, has brought “turnaround specialist” Martijn Rozenboom on board as an advisor. This is causing some concern.

“We’re working very hard on a restructuring”

In September, it was announced that CEO Jochem van Bueren had acquired all shares in the Dutch maternity and children’s retailer from the German investor Mutares. The transaction is intended to ensure business continuity and give Prénatal room to continue growing as an independent company, the CEO said at the time. The chain, which has 34 stores and an online shop, has been operating at a loss for years.

Now that it has emerged that the CEO has brought in the so-called “corporate doctor” Martijn Rozenboom as an advisor, the unions are concerned, reports the FD. Rozenboom, known for buying up loss-making companies, has been controversial ever since he took over Miss Etam from the Belgian group FNG and ultimately allowed it to go bankrupt. He was held liable by the court for mismanagement.

“What I’m hearing from members sounds a lot like his usual modus operandi. It reminds me very much of the signals we received from members when Rozenboom took over the bankrupt Miss Etam just after the summer of 2020,” Martin Pikaart of the AVV union told the newspaper. But a spokesperson for Rozenboom denies this: “Prénatal is not bankrupt. We are working very hard on a restructuring. The goal is to return to profitability. Rozenboom has simply been hired as a strategic advisor.”