Romanian Adrian Viman will take lead of Kaufland’s business in Germany, after working for the German retailer’s local branch in Romania for the last 8 years. Marco Hossl, senior vice president of international sales, will take over his responsibilities in Romania.
Viman is moving into a position where he will be in charge of a 700-unit network with EUR 13.5 billion sales in 2013.
Viman, 43, is one of the most powerful CEOs in Romanian retail. He took lead of Kaufland Romania’s operations two years after the group entered the local market and under his management the company reached 102 hypermarkets and EUR 1.9 billion in sales, establishing itself as the largest modern commerce network in Romania.
Kaufland Romania opened a new hypermarket in Slatina (Olt county) in May this year, its second store in the town and bringing its total network to 102 units.
Kaufland is the largest retailer in Romania by value of sales, bigger than Metro Cash&Carry, Auchan and Carrefour. It also employs 12,700 people and posted a 20 percent increase in profit last year, to RON 331 million (EUR 75 million).