Inspiring stories: Daniel Cirstea, director of Profi

After opening 195 stores across Romania in 2017, retailer Profi says that the management of talent played a strategic role in achieving this target. Daniel Cirstea, general director of Profi, said that the retailer has the widest geographical coverage in Romania and the largest number of stores due to its expansion push.

At the end of last year, the company had 695 outlets in 379 locations. “The managers of those new units come primarily from the existing Profi stores, and people considering a fast track in their career seize the opportunity. One can easily imagine the kind of energy and enthusiasm this brings to the network, now a sheer talent magnet,” Cirstea told BR.  The retail chain has reached close to 13,000 employees, making it one of the four largest employers in this sector. Over 650,000 customers visit the stores’ network daily.

“The expansion also covered our logistics capabilities as we wanted to provide shorter, better routes to our stores and suppliers,” added the executive.

The retailer has been helped by the strong growth of private consumption, which contributed to the overall 7 percent GDP expansion in 2017. Profi has also continued to venture into smaller towns and locations where the competition from other retailers has remained relatively low.

Profi has developed its network through three store formats. Around 80 percent of the products present on its shelves are made in Romania and its private labels account for roughly 20 percent of its 6,000 products.

Read more about

In what ways can communication during the offboarding process help to preserve a positive employer brand and reputation?

read more