Carolin Klar named new Bonprix Group Managing Director
Carolin Klar, currently Vice President Product Management, is to become a Member of the Bonprix Group Management Board. Alongside CEO Dr. Richard Gottwald, Markus Fuchshofen and Dr. Kai Heck she will co-lead the company as of 01 March 2023. She succeeds Rien Jansen, who is to retire on 28 February 2023. Carolin Klar will hold responsibility for Purchasing, Procurement, and Corporate Responsibility.
Carolin is a Textile and Industrial Engineering graduate. She joined Bonprix in Assortment Marketing in 2008 after a period in Market Research at sector magazine 'Textilwirtschaft' ('Textile Industry', DFV Media Group). In 2011 she moved to Product Management, taking over in 2012 as Head of Product Management for a department within Womens Fashionable Outerwear. In this role she has since developed Womens Fashionable Outerwear into a brand-characterising Bonprix assortment.
As Vice President Product Management since 2018, the 43-year-old has held responsibility for differing Bonprix product ranges. During this time she has successfully driven the strategic realignment of the assortments she heads, has pushed the development of new fashion formats and played a key role in co-shaping the digitisation and agile transformation of Procurement and Creative processes.
Marcus Ackermann, Member of the Otto Group Executive Board, Multichannel Distance Selling: "Besides her outstanding specialist skills, impressive market expertise and comprehensive product knowledge, Carolin Klar has a strong passion for fashion. This background will enable her to deliver key stimuli as a Management Board Member and make a major contribution on Bonprix's further journey to becoming a successful Otto Group focus company."
Dr. Richard Gottwald, Bonprix Group CEO: "In Carolin Klar we will have a Managing Director who combines fashion competence with deep digital know-how. She will thus continue to shape our digital transformation into a leading online fashion brand. I very much look forward to working with her."
Rien Jansen has been a Member of the Bonprix Management Board since 2010. The Dutchman is responsible for Creative Purchasing and Procurement. Furthermore, Rien has built Bonprix's new Corporate Responsibility Division and driven it decisively forward. Under his leadership, the fashion orientation of the Bonprix brand has been strengthened significantly.
Before joining Bonprix, Rien worked in Procurement at various international retail companies, most recently as Commercial Director at Logo International, the Dutch holding company.
Marcus Ackermann, Member of the Otto Group Executive Board, Multichannel Distance Selling: "With Rien Jansen's retirement the Otto Group is losing a genuine leadership figure and an entrepreneur in the most positive sense. Rien has a tremendous talent for inspiring and motivating others. Twinned with his outstanding fashion expertise, this has enabled him to play a decisive role in shaping the Bonprix brand over recent years. We wish Rien Jansen all the very best for the future."
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About Otto Group
Founded in Germany in 1949, today the Otto Group is a globally active retail and services group with around 41,000 employees in 30 major company groups primarily active in the economic regions of Germany, the rest of Europe, and the USA. Its business activities span the Platforms, Brand Concepts, Retailers, Services and Financial Services segments. In the 2022/23 financial year (to 28 February) the Otto Group generated revenues of 16.2 billion euros. With online revenues of approximately 12 billion euros, the Otto Group is one of the world’s largest online retailers. The Group’s particular strength is the broad market presence of its differentiated product assortments and service offers to diverse customer target groups in the world’s relevant economic regions. Numerous strategic partnerships and joint ventures provide the Otto Group with excellent opportunities to transfer know-how and leverage areas of synergy potential. Group companies demonstrate a high degree of corporate responsibility and willingness to collaborate with one another; at the same time this guarantees flexibility, customer proximity and optimal target-group appeal in their respective national markets.