German retailer Metro AG has appointed Olivier van den Bossche as an operating partner at its wholesale business Metro Cash & Carry.
Van den Bossche, the former CEO of HBC Europe and Galeria Kaufhof, will be responsible for a group of countries in the wholesale sector. With a team of experts, he will support the management in respective countries in positioning and boosting the local Metro Cash & Carry business.
"With Olivier van den Bossche we have engaged an internationally experienced trade expert for Metro," said Olaf Koch, chairman of Metro AG.
"He is now contributing this experience to Metro and will release many fresh impulses with his expertise, his wealth of ideas and his straightforward manner."
Operating Partners
Metro introduced the operating partner model in 2014, in line with the consistent focus on customer needs and market requirements.
The company says that it now plays a 'central role' in its business, with the goal of endowing individual countries with greater operating responsibility and giving them creative leeway by enabling them to respond faster to local demand and specific customer needs.
In his new role, van den Bossche will report to chief operating officer Pieter Boon, who is also chairman of the operating board of Metro Cash & Carry.
Metro operates in 35 countries, in both the wholesale and food retail sectors.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
