Willy Bogner secures the future of his company

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Willy Bogner reorganizes his responsibility for the Willy Bogner GmbH & Co. KGaA and appoints a trustee to represent his interests as company owner. The trustee corporation will represent his ownership rights and entrepreneurial responsibility for the internationally successful lifestyle company and leading provider of exclusive sports fashion, luxurious sportswear and designer fashion. Willy Bogner thus ensures a long-term, professional succession plan in the best interests of the company and its employees. At the same time, he makes sure that the interests of the family are protected. In future, he will focus on contributing to the further development of the brand, design and fashion collections.

"It is very important for me to ensure that our company, my life's work, is set-up for a sustainable and successful future. Together with the Management Board, we have made progress over the past two years – and brought the brand Bogner with attractive fashion collections back on a successful course," explains Willy Bogner: "There is still a lot of work ahead of us! At the age of almost 78, I realized that I could no longer accompany the company as actively and intensively on its future path as necessary.”

Arndt Geiwitz will assume responsibility for the trustee corporation for Willy Bogner GmbH & Co. KGaA. He accompanies – as auditor and trustee – many family businesses in the context of succession planning and strategic realignment. He is managing partner of the law firm SGP Schneider Geiwitz & Partner, which is one of the leading law firms in Germany, with broad experience as trustee of family-owned German mid-caps as well as in the fashion and retail industry.

"We, the Bogner Management Board, have received the news that Willy Bogner has appointed Arndt Geiwitz to represent his interests company owner with great respect. We appreciate Willy Bogner's great entrepreneurial achievement and his passion for fashion and sport, which has made Bogner an iconic brand and still distinguishes Bogner in the market today. Willy Bogner and his family have always put the long-term success of the company first. This is also reflected in Willy Bogner's prudent approach to setup the company for the future. With the trustee corporation, we have now a solid basis for the long-term growth of Bogner," says CEO Andreas Baumgärtner on behalf of the Management Board.

Family succession initiated

Already in October, the succession to the next Bogner generation was initiated with Willy Bogner’s daughter Florinda moving into the Supervisory Board. In addition, the renowned lawyer Prof. Klaus Volk was appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board to accompany the company in its strategic realignment.

"Business and sport have one thing in common: success comes to those with the best possible team. Sportsmanship, therefore, also means stepping back in good time in the service of the team and the common goal," says Willy Bogner. "I am convinced that with our Management Board, our newly appointed Supervisory Board and the trustee, we have found a strong and viable setup for the future of our company".