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Lidl is going to reshuffle its management team: with a more streamlined structure, the retailer aims to become more efficient. The discounter also wants to strengthen the Lidl brand.
Focus on the customer
For months, Lidl has worked secretly on a new management structure, which it has now announced. CEO Kenneth McGrath hopes the new structure will make his company more efficient as he slimmed down his management team from nine to seven members, Lebensmittel Zeitung reports.
The biggest change is a unified customer division led by former BMW manager Jens Thiemer, the only external figure in the executive team – he came over in January. His division must ensure a consistent shopping experience offline and online. Lidl wants to become a “relationship brand”: its sponsorship of the ongoing European Football Championship is an illustration of this.
Greater agility
Georg Kröll will head a unified country board, which replaces the current three or four, aiming for a greater agility. Maksymilian Braniecki, like Kröll one of the former country directors, will succeed André Becker – who left the company suddenly in May – as Human Resources Director.
Christoph Pohl stays on as head of Procurement, though his focus is to shift to customer focus and differentiation. More details on the future procurement structure will not be announced internally by the retailer until Friday. Logistics director Matthias Oppitz will also remain on board, adding real estate to his portfolio. Pierre Schalbe will retain responsibility over administration. The changes will take effect on 1 July.
