Michael Ottesen stepped in as the vice-CEO of Aldi Denmark in May, the discounter has announced.
He will be responsible for revitalising Aldi Denmark's take on discounts and ensuring a better customer experience.
Commenting on his new role, Ottesen said, "We are in a situation where we need to change some things to be successful, and that journey is extremely exciting. I like that Aldi is the 'inventor of discounts', and now we need to get back on track."
An Experienced Professional
Ottesen is an experienced professional who joined Lidl two years ago after working in Lidl for 15 years.
Most recently, he served as the regional director for Aldi's stores in Jutland and Funen.
The first major task he is looking forward to as the new vice-CEO is getting to know his new employees better, the retailer noted.
'Close To Employees'
Ottesen commented, "Yes, it may sound like a cliché, but there is nothing better than having employees who feel seen and heard. It just creates a better feeling. And they're the ones who know, too, which processes really need optimisation. That's why it's important for me to be close to the employees, so I can help and support them in improving need."
Ottesen will have four functional directors under his direct command: Osman Kayhan, managing director of services, including finance and IT; Anders Stengaard Leer, managing director of sales operations, support; Lars Nielsen, managing director of human resources and supply chain manager, Jens Nikolaisen.
He will work closely with the services, finance, IT, sales operations support, HR and supply chain, and logistic departments to improve the workflow.
In 1977, Aldi Denmark opened its first store in the country. It was the first discount chain in Denmark.
Presently, the discounter operates around 184 Aldi stores across the country and employs approximately 2,800 people.
