G said a manager from its parent company will take over as chief executive officer, a day after the German discount retailer announced that previous CEO Karl-Heinz Holland stepped down. Sven Seidel, who has spent the last three years at Schwarz Group, will take over the helm after Holland departed due to “different, unbridgeable views” about the future direction of the company. At Schwarz, which holds the Lidl and Kaufland supermarket chains, the 40-year-old was responsible for business and development, Lidl said today in a statement.
A Lidl spokeswoman declined to elaborate on the company’s differences with Holland beyond a statement issued late yesterday. The 23-year company veteran had been CEO since 2008.
Seidel takes over the discounter as it seeks to broaden its international appeal with a wider range of goods and its first U.K. television advertising last Christmas. Lidl is also investigating the possibility of entering the U.S. next year, the spokeswoman said.
Closely held Lidl, based in Neckarsulm, Germany, also said today that Robin Goudsblom, 40, will become head of purchasing. He replaces Dawid Jaschok, who it said yesterday has also left.
