The retailer Kik Textilien und Non-Food GmbH has a new boss. Ulrich Hanfeld has been the discounter’s new CEO since June 1st. The Bönen-based company had already announced the appointment in March. The position had been vacant for months after Patrick Zahn announced his departure last September. Hanfeld is now at the top of the management board, which also includes Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Christian Kümmel (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Agnieszka Jaworska.
The new CEO has many years of experience in retail. Hanfeld had already managed the textile discounter NKD, the sporting goods chain Hervis and the clothing company TriStyle Group as CEO. He also held various management positions at the Hamburg trading and services group Otto Group.
Christian Haub, CEO of Kik’s parent company Tengelmann Twenty-One KG, praised the new addition. “With Ulrich Hanfeld, we are gaining a renowned retail expert who has proven time and again in recent years that he can successfully lead large companies,” he explained in a statement. “We are very much looking forward to working together and are convinced that, together with the existing management team, he will set the right priorities for the coming years.”
When he took office, Hanfeld described his goals. “Kik is a company with enormous brand recognition, high customer proximity and strong teams in over 4,000 branches across Europe,” he explained. “I am looking forward to continuing Kik’s success story together with my colleagues. Our aim must be to remain relevant for our customers every day. We achieve this with a convincing range with a clear line, motivated teams in the branches, reliable quality, good prices and a shopping experience that is uncomplicated.”