Raoul Spanger and Max Heinemann will jointly lead Gebr. Heinemann from 1 July, the Hamburg-headquartered travel retailer has announced.

Chief Operating Officer Spanger, who has served the company for more than 30 years, takes up the role of Co-CEO alongside fifth generation family owner Max.

The change comes as the company expands its Executive Board ‘to better respond to the challenges and changes in the industry’.

In a statement, Gebr. Heinemann says Max Heinemann will focus on strategic development and the travel retail business model, in addition to eyeing new partnerships ‘beyond the industry’.

Meanwhile, Spanger will look after the global core business with Heinemann Asia Pacific continuing to report directly into him.

CONTINUING A LONG TRADITION…

Among other changes, Vice President Sales EMEA Florian Seidel will bolster the Executive Board in the newly created role of Chief Sales Officer.

Chief Commercial Officer and fellow Executive Board Member Dr Dirk Schneider will continue to be responsible for Purchasing, Global Supply Chain, Marketing and Commercial Effectiveness.

Max Heinemann stated: “Our company has a long tradition and track record of the Co-CEO structure. This was the case with my father and my uncle and also with their fathers.

“At the same time, we are thus continuing the harmonious interaction of the owner family with external managers – if, in the case of Raoul Spanger, one can even speak of an external manager after more than 30 years in the company.”

Spanger commented: “We are convinced of our business model and believe in travel retail. We want to further expand the mainstay of our global core business with our usual strengths in retail and distribution.

“With the new function of Chief Sales Officer, we will be even more focused on our customers and the different markets in the future. I am pleased that with Florian we have such an experienced colleague and long-time Heinemann in our team.”

In February, Gebr. Heinemann announced the departure of Chief Financial Officer Stephan Ernst.

Dr Kai Deneke will take over the position vacated by Ernst on 1 July.

Max Heinemann added: “This Executive Board line-up makes a great team.

“We have worked very closely together during the crisis of the last two years and I am more than excited that together we will lead Gebr. Heinemann into a successful future.

“In this constellation we want to open up new business potential and new customer segments – with the traveller at the centre of everything we do.

“We will continue to play a formative and sometimes provocative role in the industry, because one of our four guiding principles is ‘We create change’ and that is exactly what we will do.”