An era ends at Liberty Damenmoden GmbH. The clothing retailer based in Lübbecke, Westphalia, announced on Friday that Peter Friedrich will be handing over the management of the company after more than 18 years. The manager will “retire from management at the end of the year” and will join the company’s advisory board on January 1, 2023, according to a statement.
At the same time, the retailer presented the designated successor: Kevin Ziegler was appointed as the future CEO. The 42-year-old, who most recently served as CSO and CMO at apparel retailer Orsay, will join Liberty on June 1, the company said. After that, he is to “successively take over the areas of retail, e-commerce, marketing and the general staff departments” in the management board. Together with Ulrike Drüner, who will continue to be responsible for purchasing as CPO, he will form the company’s management duo in the future.
Peter Friedrich is stepping down from management after more than 18 years
Peter Wolf, who has been the sole shareholder of Liberty since the beginning of the year, commented on the change in management: “Peter Friedrich has managed the company very successfully for almost two decades, significantly shaped the corporate development of Liberty and its corporate culture and the company even in difficult times and in a tough one market environment with foresight,” explained the former Karstadt CEO in a statement. “For a long time it has been Peter Friedrich’s wish to resign from the management board at the age of sixty and to pass the baton on to the next generation.”
With Ziegler, Liberty has “found an experienced retail expert in the textile sector with proven omnichannel and digital experience,” emphasized Wolf. The company’s goals are now “in addition to the expansion into more branches, above all the expansion of e-commerce with the interlocking of both sales channels”. In addition, “the further ‘brand building’ of the corporate brand Liberty is at the forefront of strategic development”.
About Liberty Woman
Founded in 1976, the company employs 500 people and, in addition to an online shop founded in 2011, operates more than a hundred branches in Germany. The shops have sales areas of between 80 and 140 square meters and are located in cities with a population of 40,000 or more.