One day before the start of its Berlin fashion fairs Premium and Seek, the Premium Group announced the end of an era: After “almost 21 years of successful management”, Premium founder Anita Tillmann will “retire from day-to-day business at the end of this year,” said the trade fair company on Monday with
According to a press release, Jörg Arntz, who has played a key role as managing director in the Premium Group for years, will manage the company together with the existing management team. Anita Tillmann will continue to be available as a “strategic consultant” even after she has left.
The premium founder says goodbye to the operative business after more than 20 years
The departing head of the fair, who is one of the defining personalities of the Berlin fashion landscape, commented on her decision in a statement: “After more than two decades, I am retiring from the operative business and leaving it with great confidence and trust to my business partner Jörg and ours experienced management team,” explained Anita Tillmann. “Together with our team, we have built up an international network in the fashion industry and gained many friends and partners in the process. Thanks to our flat hierarchies, the strong team spirit and the good relationship with our shareholder, we continue to work on the future of fashion according to the motto – teamwork makes the dream work”.
Lisa Hannant, the CEO of the Premium parent company Clarion Events, emphasized the special achievement of Anita Tillmann: “We would like to thank Anita for the passion, the creativity and the visions that she has brought to Premium over the years”. , she explained in a statement. “Thanks to the ongoing friendship and working relationship, together with the skills and experience of Jörg and the team, we have every confidence that the company is in good hands, both now and in the future.”
Premium Managing Director Jörg Arntz sees demand for fashion fairs in Berlin
Jörg Arntz also paid tribute to his long-time comrade-in-arms: “I’m happy to have had Anita by my side for the past 10 years,” he said in a statement. The goal now remains to “strengthen the position of the Premium Group as an established and pioneering platform on a national and international level”.
Despite the current adverse conditions for the German clothing trade, he looks to the future with confidence: “The demand for an organized industry get-together in Berlin is still very high. We are firmly convinced that the relevance of personal exchange will become even more important in the future and with it modern platforms such as Premium and Seek,” says Arntz.
The Premium and its sister fair Seek take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the former poster goods station at the Gleisdreieck. The organizers are relying on a tighter concept and new “event formats” this season.