Gerry Weber CEO Ralf Weber resigns, new leadership structure unveiled

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 2, 2018

Gerry Weber’s turnaround seems to have been taking too long to really make an impact and the senior team has realised that big steps are needed. 

On Tuesday the company announced a major restructuring strategy based on changes in the leadership team "to reorientate the company and foster the future concept.”  

The biggest news is that CEO Ralf Weber has resigned from his post, effective at the financial year end on October 31. But he’s not cutting his ties with the group.

The supervisory board said it had accepted his resignation “with great regret” but he’ll be joining the supervisory board just as Gerhard Weber, one of the two founders of the company, steps down “for reasons of age.”

And the company added that Johannes Ehling, who’s currently a managing board member as well as being Chief Sales and Chief Digital Officer, will become the  “spokesperson of the managing board, taking over the responsibilities of Ralf Weber.”

At the same time, Florian Frank has been appointed Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) and managing board member with immediate effect, but only until the end of next year. 

The company has also created the new role of Chief Product Officer, responsible for the positioning of all of its brands, “their products as well as procurement,” and it has started a high-level search for right candidate. The ongoing search for a new CFO is also continuing.

Ralf Weber said of all this: “I am convinced, that the right time has come to foster the implementation of the upcoming future concept with a new management structure. With joint forces and the support of all members of the managing board and the supervisory board, we will lead Gerry Weber back on track.” 

CRO Florian Frank is now a key part of the operation and the firm said he “possesses many years of extensive experience as restructuring expert at several renowned consulting firms.”

It also said that "we have full confidence in Johannes Ehling, a distinguished expert in the fashion industry, for his extensive and proven skills in market cultivation, to implement the initiated future concept and lead Gerry Weber back on the road to success. Further, by creating the position of Chief Product Officer, we guarantee, that the modernisation of our brands and the just-initiated focus on our customers as part of our Performance Program, are advanced with full force.”