Tim Robinson
Corporate Developer, born 1964, passionate about retail, vintage cars and scuba diving, lives in Cheshire, UK.
Tim consulted retailers, brands and suppliers for over 20 years, operating at board level to identify, formulate and lead delivery of key initiatives. Representative projects include: Business Transformation, Merchandise and Assortment Planning, Sales Planning, Inventory Management, Logistics Strategy, Critical Path Management, Core Systems Replacement, Development of a Store Operating Model, and Operational Improvement for leading retailers in UK, Europe, US and Asia. Representative clients include: Aeon (Japan), WH Smith (UK), C&A (Eu), Levi Strauss & Co (USA), LL Bean (Japan), J Sainsbury (UK), Wm Morisons (UK), Galeria Kaufhof (D), and Marks and Spencer (UK).
Massimo dal Bosco
Business Developer, born 1969, married, 2 children, lives in Düsseldorf.
Law studies in Italy and Germany with a focus on international civil and business law; Executive MBA at the WHU Vallendar-Kellogg School of Management USA. Many years of experience in industry, initially in medium-sized companies and later in major corporations with responsibilities including sales and business development. From 2006 on, consulting for consumer goods companies in important and complex transformation and restructuring projects, most recently as a principal with Droege&Comp. Düsseldorf. Clients include : Nestlé, P&G, Barilla, Leica Camera. Self-employed since 2010. areas of expertise: strategy and restructuring, sales, internationalization.
Silke Linsenmaier
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1968, married, 2 children, lives in Hamburg.
Following studies in textile management, gathered management experience with leading retailers including Tchibo GmbH (undergarments, jewelry, accessories, shoes, home textiles) and the department store Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH (category management women’s fashion and children’s clothing). Certified Category Manager (ECR D-A-CH). Author of articles in the trade magazine Die LINIE International. Special expertise: customer-centered assortment planning, category management in fashion retail, trend and innovation workshops.
Katja Wagner
Assistant, born 1977, married, 1 child, lives in Oberhausen.
Following high school, qualification as a merchant in wholesale and international trade. Initial professional experience gathered in sales with Promat GmbH, in Ratingen. Studies and degree in business administration at the University of Applied Science in Düsseldorf, focusing on controlling/auditing. Professional experience in controlling with De Lage Landen GmbH in Düsseldorf, with two years at the company’s Stockholm offices. Parental leave. Joined TReE in 2012, taking on responsibility for financial accounting.
Oliver Kirchhof
Manager, born 1970, married, 3 children, lives in Cologne.
Many years of experience as a consultant with SHS Informationssysteme and Horváth & Partners. Specialized in corporate management, sales management, IT implementation and project management. Alongside projects in sectors like telecoms and mechanical engineering, posting as Department Head, Inhouse Consulting and Organizational Development, with OBI for 4 years up to 2011. Main focus: project portfolio management, optimization of purchasing and sales processes, internationalization of group standards. With TReE since 2011.
Hagen Decker
Manager, born 1975, married, 3 children, lives near Düsseldorf.
Seven years of experience as a Consultant with Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. Projects in fashion and retail. Focus on sourcing and buying, supply chain management, merchandise planning and verticalization. Clients: Karstadt, adidas, Hornbach, Helly Hansen, frowein, Metro Group, IWC, getzner. Four years as an internal Business Consultant for MUSTANG focusing on strategy, verticalization, internationalization and supply chain management. A passion for conceptual work and real-world implementation drew him to join TReE in 2011.
Marcus Sewtz
Corporate Developer, born 1968, married, 2 children, lives in Osnabrück.
Served as CEO for cjd profashion gmbh (strategic and operational turnaround of a leading corporate fashion company) for 5½ years. Four years as head of business development at KarstadtQuelle AG (strategy, restructuring and M&A projects incl. the sale of the retail companies Sinn Leffers, Wehmeyer, Runners Point and Golf House). Founded portax.com (internet-based b2b platform). Management consultant with Kurt Salmon Associates in Düsseldorf and New York (worked for companies including Avon Products, Circa Corp., Timberland, Schöffel, Kunert, VF International).
Denitza Weismantel
Manager, born 1974, married, lives in Frankfurt.
Economics and management studies in Germany and Britain with a focus on finance and controlling. Many years of experience in consulting retail and consumer goods companies in the areas of strategy development, transactions and controlling, previously as a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory. Fields of expertise: strategy, business and financial planning, controlling, due diligence and company valuation.
Martin Pogatzki
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1966, married, 1 Child, lives in Berlin.
Training in engineering and information processing, Head of supply chain, Project Manager logistic outsourcing, consultancy in: retail, eCommerce, logistics, powersupply, fashion et al. Levis, DeutschePost/DHL, eBay, Neckermann, Charles Vögele, Schöller, SW-Essen, Team Retail Excellence since 2009.
Norbert Pühringer
Partner, born 1965, married, 2 children, lives in Vienna.
Trained with PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Senior Project Manager with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Buying Director with kika/Leiner, assortment and marketing department Head of Knauber Freizeit. Consulting and management experience in food as well as non-food-retailing, i.e. do-it-yourself, furniture/living, sporting goods, supermarkets, drugstores. Project focus: positioning strategies, category management, optimization of buying and sales processes, reorganization, M&A/integration. Loves - and lives by - change. Joined TReE in 2010.
Christiane Czossek
Office Assistant, born 1967, 3 children, lives near Düsseldorf.
Following high school, training in wholesale and export with a subsequent specialization in substitute work. Experience in women‘s fashion purchasing with Esprit in Düsseldorf, time off to spend with children, sales assistant with a sporttswear retailer. Alongside activities with Team Retail Excellence, freelance work as assistant in managerment and sales for a media agency.
Silke Janssen
Recruiting Expert, born 1973, married, lives in Bad Homburg.
Following studies of engineering at the Darmstadt University of Technology, gathered work experience abroad and in an engineering company. Assumed a position at the human resources consultancy Ray & Berndtson and pursued further education in economics. Entered employment at the management consultancy Leader Selection in 2004 and joined MSU Personal GmbH in 2008. Her customers include publicly listed companies, medium-sized enterprises, investment management and leading private equity companies as well as international management consultancies. Ms. Janssen supports Team Retail Excellence in finding, selecting and developing its continuously growing team.
Nikola Ziehe, PhD
Freelancer, born 1968, Prof. for Communications Management & Retail Communication University of Applied Science Düsseldorf, 1 child, lives in Cologne.
Doctorate with a focus on retail, Senior Consultant with Simon, Kucher & Partners, [AL] corporate development METRO Group, Interim Manager of the e-commerce portal of Metro Online AG, Head of departments corporate development and strategic category management real,- hypermarkets, Head of department Arcandor Management Consulting. Focus: strategy, change management, category management, pricing, advertising, sales in stationary and mail order retail.
Isabell Guidastri
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1968, married, 1 child, lives in Mannheim and Modena.
Business administration studies focusing on marketing and organization, division manager in the cosmetics industry, Senior Consultant with an international consultancy. Customers include C&A, Picard, Joop, Armani, Puma. Diverse projects/positions in industry and commerce form a strong background as the basis for expertise in strategic work and process management. The fashion and lifestyle segment is a personal passion.
Joao Da Silva
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1966, married, 1 child, lives in Bremen.
Training in psychological consulting, mental training, NLP, performance coaching, group facilitation and change management, eight years as a professional musician and 17 years of cross-sector experience in implementing learning and coaching models, coaching managers, supporting change processes. Customers include Hilton, Hitachi, Intel, Gothaer, Google, EADS, Goodyear, Siemens, Kaufhof, Microsoft, Mexx, Olsen, K&L Ruppert, Puma and Staples.
Alexander von Keyserlingk
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born in 1967, 2 children, lives in Dorsten.
20 years of practical experience in retail management, purchasing and expansion e.g. with Mientus, Quartier 206 Berlin, KaDeWe, Manufactum, Cinque, Hess Natur. Specialist in roll-out-projects of stores and shops in fashion and lifestyle industries. Development of modern retail brand concepts and concept stores. Key Note-Speaker and author of articles. Initiator of the Slowretail idea including the Blog slowretailblog.com.
Michael A. Ginap
Corporate Developer, self-employed, age 49, married, 3 children, lives in Königstein near Frankfurt.
Training as a forwarding merchant and studies in business administration (graduated as Diplomkaufmann), Logistics Manager, Supply Chain Director, VP supply chain planning and customer service, with companies including Kühne & Nagel, Panalpina, Robert Bosch, Unilever, JohnsonDiversey. Five years as expatriate in the Netherlands. Enthusiastic, international supply chain pro, SCOR® Master Instructor. Innovation projects, M&A/integration, assortment optimization, change management. Business coach with a passion.
Michaela Behnen
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1966, married, lives in Düsseldorf.
C&A management training and international MBA study program (focus on marketing). Thirteen years in management positions in product management/central buying (C&A Brussels, Karstadt). Detailed knowledge of sourcing processes as well as solid marketing know-how form the basis for projects in buying strategy, sourcing management and assortment optimization. Motto: “Retail is detail.”
Rudolf Bartels
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1955, married, 2 children, lives in Ratingen.
Management training with C&A, many years in leadership positions with the C&A sales organization focusing on restructuring, outsourcing and reorganization. National and international project experience in fashion retail operation management and floor management. Special expertise in developing programs to boost efficiency in franchise organizations coupled with many years of implementation experience.
Heidi Wähling
Assistant, born 1966, married, 2 children, lives near Düsseldorf.
After graduating from high school, training as a calibration technician, followed by qualification as a director’s secretary with foreign-language skills at the academy for management assistants (ama, formerly AWV). Team and management assistant and later Recruiting Coordinator with Boston Consulting Group. Responsible for the full scope of administrative tasks for Team Retail Excellence since 2007, alongside her job as manager of her family.
Wolfgang Averdieck
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born in 1957, married, lives in Düsseldorf.
Studies in accounting and controlling. Several financing and controlling positions in group companies and individual enterprises. Business Consultant for 15 years for companies including Eldorado, Aktiv Sport AG, Ernsting’s family, Puma, SportScheck. Fields of expertise: store portfolio analysis, budgeting and development of controlling systems.
Oliver Schlömann
Partner, born 1967, married, 2 children, lives near Frankfurt.
Business Economist with a focus on marketing and corporate organisation. Senior Manager with Kurt Salmon Associates, Business Development Manager of KarstadtQuelle, Head of market research, textile industry. Management and project experience with companies including C&A, PPR Group, Tchibo, Ernsting’s family, Puma, Swarovski, Marc O'Polo. Focus of professional activities: strategy and restructuring of buying, global sourcing & supply chain management, process optimization and organisational development. Project work in close cooperation with customer teams is a source of inspiration and drive.
Verena Goldberg
Corporate Developer, self-employed, born 1963, married, lives in Düsseldorf.
Qualified engineer in clothing technology with a focus on design, 20 years of professional experience in product management and buying for international brands including Esprit, Cinque, MarcCain, Comma and as a Consultant with Kurt Salmon Associates. Areas of expertise: assortment management, seasonal planning, sourcing and implementation of PLM systems. Personal motivation: the multifaceted potential for verticalization in the fashion sector.
Wolfgang Wanning
Partner, born 1966, married, 2 children, lives in Bonn.
Career entry as qualified engineer in the textile industry, Partner Kurt Salmon Associates. Education in the USA and Europe as a trainer for change management. Clients include Esprit, Schöffel, Helly Hansen, Puma, Rolf Benz, Otto Group, METRO Group, Redcats, Staples, Ernsting’s family, Hornbach. Project focus: supply chain management, process and change management.
Guido Schild
Partner, born 1958, married, 2 children, lives in Düsseldorf.
Education in finance, controlling; Career in banking & finance, M&A, participation controlling. MD Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) Asia Pacific, Director Retail Europe KSA, Director Corporate Development KQ, CRO for a midcap retailer. Core competencies: strategy, financial planning, controlling and supply chain management. Major project/business stages in Europe, USA and Asia: VF Corp., C&A, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger, Swarovski, Tchibo, SportScheck. Intrapreneur with a passion for performance, Team Retail Excellence since 2004.
Nicola Strohschneider
Team Assistant, born 1970, married, 2 children, lives near Düsseldorf.
After graduating from high school, earned qualifications as a director’s secretary with foreign-language skills at the academy for management assistants (ama, formerly AWV) in Lippstadt. Took a position as Office Coordinator with Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA). Time off to have a baby. Has been with Team Retail Excellence since 2004, now responsible for accounting and recruiting.