André Maeder, the CEO of the KaDeWe Group, is embarking on a new chapter as he joins the Selfridges Group. Effective May 1, 2024, Maeder will assume the role of managing and coordinating the various brands within the Selfridges Group. These brands include the renowned British luxury department store, Selfridges, as well as De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands and Brown Thomas Arnotts in Ireland. Maeder will officially depart from his position at the KaDeWe Group on October 31.
In his new role, Maeder will report to the co-chairmen and owners of the Selfridges Group, namely Tos Chirathivat of the Thai Central Group and Dieter Berninghaus, who oversees Signa’s retail business. Prior to taking on his new responsibilities, André Maeder will serve as a consultant within the group until spring 2024.
During his tenure at the KaDeWe Group, where he joined in 2014, the 64-year-old CEO has been a driving force behind the transformation of the group’s three luxury department stores: KaDeWe in Berlin, Alsterhaus in Hamburg, and Oberpollinger in Munich. Maeder’s leadership has included orchestrating numerous events and designer collaborations.
His time as CEO has been marked by significant milestones, including the comprehensive eight-year renovation of all three department stores, the strategic positioning of the stores in the luxury segment, the launch of an e-commerce platform, the enhancement of operational processes, and the recent introduction of a new SAP merchandise management system. Maeder has also been responsible for strategically expanding the KaDeWe Group’s footprint with the forthcoming openings of two new department stores, Carsch-Haus in Düsseldorf and Lamarr in Vienna, scheduled for spring 2025.
Dr. Michael Peterseim, who has been the Group’s CFO since 2018, will succeed Maeder as CEO, starting from November 1. The 53-year-old will serve as both CEO and chairman of the executive board. Michael Peterseim has held the position of Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of the KaDeWe Group since 2018. In collaboration with Maeder, he played a key role in developing the new «Unique Luxury Moments» strategy, which will be implemented in the coming years with the senior management team of the KaDeWe Group.
As part of the CEO transition, the KaDeWe Group’s management will be further enhanced with the appointment of two new director positions, both filled internally. Janina Schüßler, who has a master’s degree in Global Fashion Management and previously held various roles at Hugo Boss, will become the Director of Marketing Communications, starting from November 1. Since January 2022, Schüßler has been overseeing the KaDeWe Group’s marketing department as Senior Head.
Julia Lehmann, who joined the KaDeWe Group in June 2021 and held the position of Senior Head of Merchandise Management, will step into the role of Director of Merchandise Management and will also be responsible for the logistics area. Her international management studies and previous experience with Hugo Boss, including a role as Senior Merchandise Planner at Zalando, make her a valuable addition to the team.
Following these changes, the KaDeWe Group’s management team will comprise the following members: Michael Peterseim, CEO (acting) and Managing Director; Simone Heift, Director of Buying; Julia Lehmann, Director of Merchandise Management; Timo Weber, Director of Retail; Janina Schüßler, Director of Marketing Communications; Lars Globisch, Director of IT & Process Management; and Karin Bergmann, Director of People & HR. This significant move marks a new chapter in André Maeder’s career and the KaDeWe Group’s evolution.
