Experience

Starting point

The French group was expanding across Europe and continuously entering new markets.

My contribution

Five market entries and more than 200 new locations across eight countries. This included developing new markets and locations, preparing market entries and establishing the necessary local structures. My responsibility grew from individual expansion projects to leading the entire international expansion.

Result

The establishment and development of several European markets and an international store network.

Starting point

Yves Rocher wanted to accelerate expansion in Northern Europe by moving into larger units in stronger locations.

My contribution

After analysing the business model, I concluded that the proposed expansion strategy was not economically viable. Rather than simply implementing the original plan, I developed an alternative approach based on smaller units, adjusted location criteria and a more realistic pace of expansion.

Result

An expansion strategy aligned with the economics of the business model rather than the straightforward execution of the original brief.

Starting point

As ECE became increasingly international, new markets, projects and local organisations had to be developed under widely differing economic, cultural and organisational conditions.

My contribution

I developed international markets and projects, built local leasing and management structures and led international teams. My responsibilities ranged from business development and due diligence to leasing and usage concepts, as well as the establishment and further development of local organisations and management structures.

Result

Supported entry into ten new countries through new local subsidiaries, joint ventures and acquisitions.

Starting point

LPP wanted to enter the German market with its own organisation. At the outset, there was no local corporate structure.

My contribution

I established and developed the German subsidiary, built the central functions and team, organised cooperation with the international headquarters and developed the expansion strategy in the German market.

Result

The creation of an independent organisation with around 20 physical locations, approximately 50,000 m² of retail space, five online shops and more than 900 employees. Today, LPP Germany generates revenue in excess of €200 million.

Starting point

Increasing internationalisation and complexity meant that existing processes, responsibilities and organisational structures repeatedly had to be adapted to new requirements.

My contribution

I analysed structures, processes and responsibilities, developed new organisational and working models and implemented changes together with the teams and functions involved. This included company-wide transformation projects as well as the further development of international organisations, projects and responsibility structures.

Result

Clearer responsibilities, more efficient processes and organisations better aligned with changing operational and economic requirements.

Starting point

Following the initial build-up phase, the rapidly growing market entry had to develop into a permanently viable and profitable organisation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, this challenge became existential and led to protective shield proceedings under German insolvency law.

My contribution

I initiated and led the restructuring, worked with specialist advisers to reset key economic and organisational foundations and led the company operationally through the change.

Result

The organisation was stabilised, the store network and jobs were preserved, and the company subsequently returned to profitability.

More than 200 openings across eight countries involved a corresponding number of negotiations on premises, contracts and commercial terms, each under different market conditions and with different interests involved.

I developed negotiation positions and led negotiations with landlords, property developers and other partners across various European markets.

I negotiated in a wide range of roles and constellations — with owners, investors, tenants, project partners and local organisations, as well as with internal functions whose objectives and interests were not always aligned.

These negotiations covered leasing, project and management structures, commercial frameworks and complex situations in which differing interests had to be brought together to reach a viable decision.

Responsibility for 26 shopping centres comprising around 1.2 million m², approximately 3,500 shops and annual rental income of more than €250 million illustrates the scale on which these negotiations took place.

As Managing Director, I conduct negotiations from a position of direct entrepreneurial responsibility — with landlords, business partners, service providers, banks, advisers and other parties.

This became particularly evident during the restructuring: I developed an individual negotiation strategy for each location and led negotiations with landlords under considerable economic pressure.

Result

Within a matter of months, the rental burden across the portfolio was halved while preserving both the store network and the jobs.

Starting point

During insolvency proceedings, decisions had to be made quickly for a portfolio of more than 200 retail locations as to which leases were economically viable and under what conditions they could be transferred to a continuing business.

My contribution

As an external adviser, I supported management and the insolvency administration in analysing the leases, developing negotiation strategies and options, and contributed to the preparation and conduct of landlord negotiations.

A particular challenge was to develop economically viable solutions under insolvency conditions while at the same time maintaining landlords’ confidence in a possible continuation of the business.

Result

The mandate ended after an investor entered with a revised continuation concept.