Home Industry News Appointments Beate Uhse rebrands to Be You, gets new management team

Beate Uhse rebrands to Be You, gets new management team

Beate Uhse rebrands to Be You, gets new management team

The financial restructuring of the Beate Uhse Group has been completed and it has rebranded as Be You. It also has a new management team, following Michael Specht’s decision to step down at the end of January after two years as CEO. In a statement issued in Germany on the 8th of February, the company confirmed that its realignment to online trading has been implemented, strategic investments made and, as part of the streamlining of the retail business, 10 German Beate Uhse retail stores will be sold to Orion.

The new management team consists of Craig Wheeler and Lucas Hülsmann. Craig Wheeler, the head of e-commerce, joined in August last year and assumes the role of CEO. His immediate focus is on the operational implementation of the new online strategy, development of a new website and e-commerce platform and entry into new geographic markets.

Lucas Hülsmann joined the Be You Group in the middle of last year and has previously been responsible for finance, IT and legal affairs as chief financial officer (CFO). Hülsmann worked for Procter & Gamble internationally for over 20 years and has extensive online experience, turnaround expertise and strategic realignment. His focus is on implementing the new ERP software and improving the cost structure.

According to the statement, both online and retail sales are growing at the company, and in addition to strategic investments in the new IT and online infrastructure, it has successfully trimmed its costs, including office space and personnel, and relocating its logistics to an external service provider. Moving forward, the group is seeking growth in new markets, especially in online commerce.

Departing CEO Michael Specht, who will be available to the group in an advisory capacity until the end of the year, explained: “Our goal was to restructure the Be You Group in a profound and sustainable way and to put it on a sustainable new basis. We have achieved this with the hard work of recent months and years and significant strategic changes. The financial and strategic reorientation of the Group is proceeding successfully and is already bearing fruit. Therefore I see very good opportunities for the future development of the Be You Group.”