Harro Uwe Cloppenburg died at the age of 82.
The long-time managing director of the Düsseldorf fashion retailer died on September 28th, Peek & Cloppenburg KG, Düsseldorf announced on Friday. “His death is a painful loss for everyone who knew him and worked with him,” the statement said.
He joined the company’s management in 1986 and took over the management from his father James Cloppenburg Junior. Before that he worked for the fashion retailer. During his time at the company and even before he was appointed to the top job, he pushed forward digitalization and modernization.
In the 1970s, he introduced electronic data processing for merchandise management, in which products were recorded digitally and tracked along the entire journey from suppliers to customers. In addition, the construction of the retailer’s flagships, the so-called ‘Weltstadthäuser’, as well as the expansion into Eastern Europe can also be attributed to Harro Uwe Cloppenburg. In 2019 he withdrew from operational business, but remained in the company as a partner.
“Harro Uwe Cloppenburg was an impressive personality. With his business decisions, he successfully continued the family business for decades and helped Peek & Cloppenburg to its current importance in European fashion retail,” says Düsseldorf.