REWE Group Strengthens Strategic Purchasing
Cologne, 11.01.07
Manfred Esser named as Universal Agent
Manfred Esser (44), an experienced REWE Group manager, is to be named as the Universal Agent for Strategic Purchasing on February 1, 2007 – a central post that is key to the success of the overall company. "By organisationally re-orienting Strategic Purchasing and consistently linking it to sales-line purchasing departments in our 'Full-Range' and 'Discount Store' strategic business units, we are sustainably strengthening the basis of our merchandising for all sales lines and partners in the company", said Alain Caparros, REWE Group CEO on Thursday, January 11, in Cologne. Caparros explained that Manfred Esser possessed extensive experience in purchasing, in developing international purchasing and product-range strategies as well as in establishing international business and that he had obtained excellent knowledge of REWE Group's internal processes and structures thanks to his long history of working for REWE Group and handling a variety of tasks at PENNY. Dr. Karl Rose will provisionally assume the previous duties of Manfred Esser; Dr. Rose will continue to be in charge of the "International Discount" area in PENNY senior management. He will report directly to the REWE Group CEO, who is responsible for "National and International Discount".
Strategic Purchasing at REWE Group conducts annual discussions with suppliers and sets the binding target figures describing how REWE will collaborate strategically with each supplier in the future. Sales line purchasing at the strategic business units focuses the merchandise business on the individual concerns of each sales line.
Strategic Purchasing has procurement functions for several merchandise categories. Buyers at Strategic Purchasing co-operate closely with category managers at the sales lines. Beyond the defined merchandise categories, the sales lines mandate Strategic Purchasing to assume procurement efforts, for instance on strategic procurement markets.
An additional focus of Strategic Purchasing lies in continuing to develop international merchandise business with REWE Group's foreign subsidiaries as well as in anchoring international procurement within the international purchasing co-operative Coopernic.
Manfred Esser began his career at REWE Group in 1983 as a Purchasing and Sales Assistant. He quickly advanced to the post of Central Buyer for various food products of all sales lines at REWE Group, including imports through international goods procurement. He served as Purchasing Co-ordinator upon moving to PENNY in 1993. From 1995 to 2000, Esser was not only in charge of the entire merchandise business, but also played a key role in establishing the PENNY branch offices in the countries Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Austria. Manfred Esser has served as the Senior Executive Manager for "PENNY National and International" since 2005. PENNY's stores in Germany were converted to a future-oriented concept last year under his direction.
The trading and travel company REWE Group – with a turnover of 41.7 billion euros, 260,000 employees and 11,800 stores in 14 European countries – is the number three in European food trading.
Contact
REWE GROUP-Corporate Communications
Tel.: 0221 - 149-1050
E-Mail: presse(at)rewe-group.com
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