The year 2024 has brought numerous changes in management and leadership of the largest trade networks. The difficult economic situation, increasing inflation and challenges related to adapting to changing market realities favored exchanges of managers in key positions. In InPost, Zabka, Pepco, Carrefour, Kaufland, and also in such chains as Lidl, Dino and Auchan induced new leaders, whose task is not only to manage current challenges, but also to determine new directions for development. The race for effective strategies is underway.
New leaders in InPost
In early 2024 year. InPost has strengthened its international activity. New managing directors have taken the position CEO in key markets.
– After success in Poland, the InPost Group is set to develop its activity in other European markets – therefore I am extremely excited, that two outstanding leaders have joined us , who will help us to realize our strategic goals of development in two key markets – said Rafal Brzoska, CEO and founder of Group InPost.
Neil Kuschel has become Director Managing at InPost in Great Britain and
Laurent Bendavid has become CEO at Mondial Relay – responsible for France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Laurent Bendavid has extensive experience acquired in management positions in the B2C and B2B sectors. In the last five years he served as director general in Alliance Healthcare France, part of global organization Cencora, leader of pharmaceutical solutions.
Neil Kuschel has diverse experience acquired as director general or advisor to management, but also in management positions related to logistics and technology in e-commerce. For over 12 years in staff at the executive level has helped British and European brands in expansion.
Pepco with the head for difficult times
Noted on the exchange in Warsaw owner marek Pepco, Poundland and Dealz, who in September of last year warned about potential financial turns, that he had affected from 1 July Stephan Borchert, former director general Network GrandVision, to the position director general.
Stephan Borchert is a manager with rich experience in managing international companies from differentsectors, including fashion, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and services health care . “Operating complex, multibrand retail entities across the world and in the region of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has made a distinguished candidate in the recruitment process” – granted Pepco in communications.
It was explained at that time, that Andy Bond on time will remain in the president executive position. 1 October 2024 year. will return to the role of executive president.
Major changes HR in Group Zabka
In the first quarter year also The Group Zabka started the staff revolution. The Management Board has been joined by Wojciech Krok, taking charge of the Jabka Future area focusing technology and innovation. The previous manager of this area Vice President of the Management Group Tomasz Blicharski took over the strategy and development of the group as a whole. Vice President of the Board Anna Grabowska stood at the head of the new business unit – Zabka International.
Why such decisions? At the end of 2023 year the Group confirmed ambitions to exit out the Polish market, declaring the willingness to acquire the distributing company Daniel DRIM Distributie FMCG in Romania. In concerning the intensive development of the board with CEO Tomasz Suchanski has made the decision to appoint another member to its group and to change scopes of responsibility.
– Wojciech Krok, as a new member of the Board, brings experience in the digital and technological areas, key to the functioning Group. Early created and developed services Zabka Jush and delio. Last time began the process of consolidation of external digital solutions for franchisees and customers – the Group said.
The developed organizational structure is to help better manage expansion of Group Jabka in new areas.
New President of Kaufland. Big rotation of management
In 2024 year, we learned that Michal Lagunionek, president of Kaufland Poland, is leaving the company for personal reasons. The function of president has followed from April 2024 year. The position is tied to Kaufland from 2001 year. Till this time has held various management functions, and in the years 2018-2023 he managed the domestic company in Czech. Stefan Hopp in October 2023 year as member of the board.International has taken over management Department of Sales / Logistics / Central / Meat Establishments. In Related to the change the existing tasks Stefan Hoppe takes over commissionarily Frank Schumann.
Michal Lagunionek previously, for 14 years worked at Poland branch Lidl, of which 10 has stood at the head of the network.
Remember, that at the beginning 2024 year, in the Kaufland network there was a real personnel revolution. At the end of February the company left: Adam Madeja (director department sales region West), Ewelina Jarosinska (director department Area Central), Marcin Łojewski (director department of administration) and Paul Staniszewski (director department controlling).
Who replaced them
- Martin Piterak took the position director of department sales region West. Martin has worked at Kaufland Czech since 1998 year. First he was employed in Logistics, then in SCM and Purchasing. Since 2020 years he has been responsible for managing the sales department in Czech.
- Karol Krasowski has taken the position of director of the Department Areas Central. Krasowski has been associated with the Lidl network for over 20 years, including for 14 years with Lidl Poland. Very well knows the Poland retail and in particular the real estate industry.
- Przemysław Witkowski has become director of department of administration. Przemysław is affiliated with Kaufland Poland since 2001 and has been responsible for pion accounting and finance as director.
- Krzysztof Szponder took the position director of the purchasing date 1 June 2024. Krzysztof has many years of experience in the retail industry, including some years in the position of director of the purchasing department in Kaufland Poland. He will replace on in this position Laura Elena Manu, who last year left the company.
- Stephanie Völlinger took the position of director of division controlling. Stephanie is responsible for Division Controlling Purchasing and Data Science in International Pion Controlling.
Lidl with new Vice President ds. purchases
Paweł Stachowiak, a longtime employee of Lidl, in spring br. returned to the Polish branch of the network and became vice president of ds. purchasing (vice president purchasing).
Paweł Stachowiak is a manager with 16 years experience in trade. He has worked in Poland, Germany and the United States. Stachowiak before returned to purchasing.to the Lidl network at the company Sweet Plants. It is a Polish brand developing recipes and producing healthy, plant-based snacks. Products Sweet Plants are available on store shelves of the Lidl chain.
Previously Paweł Stachowiak was director of sales in the Selgros chain.
Auchan replaced Poland management
In half year in Auchan Poland there has been a real cadre revolution. There is a new president, a new management and a new board of directors.
The new president of the network is Alexandre Edmond Saussard. Remember, that a year ago the network welcomed him to the position of director general.
– Alexandre Saussard will take on June 12 2023 year. the position director general in Auchan Retail Poland. He will continue the mission of transforming the company and its business models, implementing the strategy Auchan Retail in Poland. Alexandre Saussard will replace in this position Gérard Gallet, who has been nominated in Auchan to the position of leader of the region Luxembourg and Poland – reported in April 2023 .
Alexandre Saussard has worked at Auchan in managerial positions for nearly twenty years. In 2016 year he joined the Director of Product company as Director of handling and marketing. Under the end year 2017 Saussard became Director of ds. products non-food in Auchan China, and in 2019 he joined Auchan Retail Russia, where he was director of sales. In January 2022 . became director of management in Auchan Retail France, responsible for sales in hypermarkets.
Who still forms the management board? Jan Starzyk and Stephane Bucaille. Bucaille was director Audit Auchan Retail International. He joined the Polish team in February 2023 . Jan Starzyk, CFO of Auchan, with the network is associated from February 2019 year.
The Supervisory Council of the company is formed by Gerard Gallet, David Mulliez, Adina Nanu, Odile Molle and Maciej Witucki.
The Deichmann returned Johannes Obersteiner
Mariusz Kulik is no longer president of Deichmann-Obuwie. In this position with the beginning of March he was replaced by Johannes Obersteiner. Obersteiner has already presided the Polish branch. Now under his care are the Baltic countries. The Deichmann network includes stores in 24 countries in Europe and the U.S. It is one of the most recognizable andThe most chosen shoe brands also in Poland.
New head at Carrefour Poland
Tomasz Waligórski 1 November 2024 year took the position of general director of Carrefour Poland. He succeeded in that position Tarck Ouaibi.
Tomasz Waligórski began his career in 1995 as buyer at wholesaler network Eurocash, and after at the store network Biedronka, where he worked as regional director of operations, a after director of commercial and member of the board. More than 7 years have been spent on contract in Portugal, where he worked as director of markets for Group Jeronimo Martins, a previously as customer senior in the chain of supermarkets Pingo Doce. Subsequently, after returning to Polomarket and repeat in Eurocash, where he worked as director general retail. Tomasz Waligórski almost 2 years he also spent in Africa as COO of the hypermarket network in Angola and 3 years he was director general of the Intermarche network. For the last 4 months he held the position of director operations (COO) of Carrefour in Poland.
Autumn appointments in Biedronka, Frisco, Makro Cash and Carry Poland, Chorten and Polomarket
Hugo Mesquita returned to Jeronimo Martins as Chief Operations Officer Biedronka, which means a return after three years of work for Netto and Delicatess Center (Eurocash). Mesquita previously for a decade filled already this function at Biedronka, which writes into his rich, over 20 years of experience in the FMCG industry.
In Frisco.pl the new president has become Magdalena Szuszkiewicz, who has replaced Pawel Szerling. Szuszkiewicz brings experience gained in the in the industry, among others. in Grupo Dia, Gorillas, WeWork, Rocket Internet AG and Goldman Sachs, which promises continuation of innovative development e-commerce food. She succeeds Pawel Szerling, who early took over the function after Jack Palce.
From February 1 2025 year the president of the Macro Cash and Carry Poland S.A. will Emmanuel Pruvost, currently director operating of the company. He will replace on Dominique Branna, who after 12 years on the board, in this six as president, is leaving the company. Pruvost is associated with .Metro Group from 2011 year, working in management structures of different countries, in this Poland.
The Chorten Group has appointed Justina Roguz to the position of general director of commercial affairs. Roguz, with experience at Lewiatan and Daisy, is now responsible for assortment pricing policy and cooperation with sales departments, markets own and other units of the company. Her task is also supporting the implementation of customer applications and negotiating with producers and distributors.
November brought the industry a sad the news of the death of Krzysztof Pakuła, founder and president of Poland Group of Food Stores Chorten, which has over 3,000 facilities in the whole country. Chorten Group has managed from its beginning, a since 15 years.
Polomarket has made a change in the president position. The new president has become Marek Wądołowski, manager with experience at Tesco Poland, Tesco One Europe and the chain of apartments Dr.Max, where he was responsible forstrategytrade and marketing.He succeededMarcinSowa,whosubmittedresignationinJune.InthemanagementofPOLOmarketwithoutchangesremainAnitaTołysz(administrationandcompliance),JaroslawBrudnicki(purchasingandmarketing),BartoszPietruszka(operations)andPiotrSzmyt(finance).
NewpromotionatDino
WinterbroughtinterestinginformationaboutthenewmemberofGroupDino’s board of directors. Withbeginning2025year,totheboardwill join
MarcinJędraszak(42years)hasbeenassociatedwithDinoPolandsince 2004.Initiallyhewasemployedatthepositionofmagager/cashier,thenfilledthefunctionofmanagerofDinomarket.From2007yearto2012yearhewasmanagerofthecentral warehouseofDino.Healsoworkedindepartmentsofadministration,fleetofcarsandpurchasingnon-trading.Intheyears2013-2018he performedthefunctionofbuyerresponsibleforsomeproduct categories.Underhisdutieshecooperatedwithproducersoffood,searchednewproductstoofferstoresDinoandnegotiatedcommercialconditionswithsuppliers.
Intheyears2020-2022MarcinJędraszakmanagedthefunctioningnetworkofDinomarkets.Since 2018.hasperformedthefunctionDirectorofSales,andcurrentlyDirectorofDivisionofSales,underwhichorganizes theand supervisesareasrelatedtosales,marketing,arrangementandfunctionofDino’smarkets.AsamemberofkeydecisioncommitteesofthecompanyparticipatesindevelopmentofDino’sGroup.
