Jan Kunath, the deputy chief executive officer of Germany's REWE Group, has decided to leave the company at the end of 2025.
Kunath’s responsibilities will be transferred to other members of the REWE Group executive board to ensure a smooth transition and his position will not be filled, the company noted.
Executive board members for full-range Austria, full-range CEE, and Penny International will report to CEO Lionel Souque, while the Toom DIY Store division will be assigned to Christoph Eltze’s portfolio.
"With the departure of Jan Kunath at the end of 2025, the REWE Group will be saying goodbye to a manager who has played a major role in shaping our company in both its domestic and its international business dealings for over 30 years," said Erich Stockhausen, chairman of the REWE Group’s supervisory board.
Kunath is an experienced professional with a wealth of knowledge across the industry as well as restructuring and modernisation projects.
"His dedication and commitment have helped to put the REWE Group on its current path of consistent and sustainable success," Stockhausen added.
Jan Kunath
Kunath commenced his career with the REWE Group in 1992, and served in various managerial positions in sales and merchandising.
In 2004 he became CEO of the Bon Appetit Group in Switzerland, and was appointed to the executive board of REWE International in 2006.
He returned to Germany in 2007 and served as CEO of the full-range national division from 2007 to 2009.
In May 2009, he was appointed as a fully authorised representative of the REWE Group for B2B and specialised stores, such as DIY stores and consumer electronics.
In that capacity, he stepped in as head of the management of Penny National in September 2010.
The following year, he was appointed as a member of the executive board of the REWE Group, and in July 2017, as deputy chief executive officer of the REWE group with responsibility for Retail International and the Toom DIY Store division.
REWE Group CEO Lionel Souque thanked Kunath for his contribution and stated, "He has dedicated his expertise, his extensive knowledge of the company from the perspective of many different divisions, and his decades of experience to achieving our successful and sustainable trajectory.
"Together, we have achieved major milestones for the company, including the restructuring of Penny and the time-sensitive withdrawal from the Ukrainian and Russian markets. Together, we were able to steer the REWE Group through the storm that began with the pandemic and affected everyone involved in the business world."
