The Bell Food Group is strengthening its organisation
19.12.2018, Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR
The Bell Food Group is adjusting its corporate structure to the growth experienced in the last few years and is strengthening its Group Executive Board. The meat and convenience specialist is also expanding its fresh convenience production capacity for the German market.
The business areas are being restructured at top Group level. While the Bell Switzerland business area will not undergo any changes, the former Bell Germany and Bell International units will be merged into the new Bell International business area. The Hilcona, Eisberg and Hügli organisational units were already merged into the Convenience business area during the course of the year. The IT unit will be hived off from the Finance/Services business area to form a new central executive department. With its own central executive department, IT will be strengthened in organisational terms and equipped to handle the growing complexity. The organisational changes will be implemented on 01/07/2019.
Within the Bell International business area, the existing Bell International division will be renamed Bell Western/Eastern Europe division, comprising the Bell France, Bell Poland and Bell Hungary units. Given its size and independent marketing activities, Hubers/Sütag will in future form its own division.
The adjustment of the organisational structure will also strengthen the management structure. The Group Executive Board will consist of the heads of the business areas. The Bell Switzerland business area will continue to be managed by CEO Lorenz Wyss in personal union. The current CFO Marco Tschanz will take over as head of the new Bell International business area as well as the central IT executive department. The Bell Food Group will be joined by Volker Baltes as head of the Convenience business area and Xavier Buro as CFO. Because of the changes to the corporate structure, the former members of the Group Executive Board Daniel Böhny and Christian Schröder will in future be division heads.
Volker Baltes (55) has many years of experience in the food processing industry. Thanks to his activities to date, he has vast expertise in general management, distribution and marketing. He also has profound knowledge of the international retail environment. He is currently the General Manager of Herta and Garden Gourmet in Germany. He previously worked in various functions for several international manufacturers of food products. Volker Baltes will take up his position with the Bell Food Group on 01/07/2019.
Xavier Buro (49) has many years of experience in finance and related service areas such as mergers and acquisitions. As a member of Transgourmet's Executive Board, he is currently responsible for finance in Central and Eastern Europe.Xavier Buro will join the company on 01/05/2019 and take over the function of CFO on 01/07/2019. The current CFO Marco Tschanz will act as deputy so as to ensure continuity in the company’s financial management.
Exploitation of growth potential for fresh convenience in Germany
Fresh convenience is an attractive and growing market in Germany. The Bell Food Group would like to further strengthen its position in this dynamic environment. For the German production facility in Bad Wünnenberg, a concept is currently being drawn up for the production of fresh convenience products. A component of this concept is the transfer of parts of its former range of meat convenience products to Marchtrenk in Austria. A modern convenience facility is currently being built in Marchtrenk. In addition to the planned fresh convenience range, its surplus capacity can be used for the production of meat convenience products. This makes the new facility even more attractive for employees and customers.
The planned expansion of the current product range will make it possible for the Bell Food Group to also offer customers in Germany an attractive and modern range of fresh convenience products. In addition to the concept, detailed product range and production programmes are already being developed. The Bell Food Group expects that the product ranges can be presented to customers in the first half of 2019.
