The Hamburg trading and service company Otto Group is creating new structures at its logistics location in Altenkunstadt. On Monday, the company announced that Andreas du Plessis will be managing director of the new joint venture Baur Hermes Fulfillment GmbH & Co. KG from March 1st.
With the joint venture of the two group companies Hermes Fulfillment and Baur Group, the “logistics network of the Otto Group in Upper Franconia” is gaining further “contour”, the company explained. In Altenkunstadt, the group is currently investing a total of 150 million euros in expanding its existing logistics capacities. After completion, the new facility will be used by the online fashion retailer About You.
With du Plessis, the Group has appointed a logistics specialist to head the joint venture who has already gained experience in both companies involved. The 49-year-old joined the Otto Group in 2016 and was Managing Director Marketing and Sales at Hermes Fulfillment until 2018. Since 2018 he has managed BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions GmbH, a subsidiary of the mail order company Baur Group. Plessis will continue to hold this post alongside his new role.
“I am very happy about the appointment of Andreas du Plessis. With him, we not only gain an experienced and accomplished manager with extensive expertise in e-commerce and the logistics business, but also a leader who is equally at home in the Baur and Hermes worlds,” explained Kevin Kufs, the CEO of Hermes Fulfillment GmbH, in a statement. According to the parent company, they are still looking for a managing director for the Operations division, who will form the management duo of the joint venture together with du Plessis.
The Otto Group also announced another personnel decision: According to this, the IT and logistics expert Olaf Röhr is leaving the management of the Baur Group and moving to Hermes Fulfillment, where he will act as Managing Director and Chief Information Officer (CIO) from March 1st. “The 54-year-old will be responsible for the implementation and planning of IT projects within the entire HF and will manage the entire IT world of the group of companies. He will also be a member of HF’s extended management board,” the company said. In order to strengthen the relevant areas, Hermes Fulfillment will also set up its own IT company.