Richard Krekeler, born in 1943, was apprenticed to Karstadt in Dortmund and became a trained salesman in 1962. As a secondary occupation he studied economics for 3 years at the Business and Administration Academy in Dortmund.

He worked at the Karstadt headquarters and at various branches as an assistant buyer and then as a buyer before joining Heine Versand in Karlsruhe in July 1976 as a hard goods buyer.

Working as Division Manager in 1979 and then as Executive Manager in 1983 he took over the entire hard goods buying department. In 1985 his executive management department was extended to include both the textile buying department and later the advertising department.

On 1st of July 2004 Richard Krekeler was appointed Chairman of the Executive Board at Baur Versand in Burgkunstadt.