Lagardère appoints Germany CEO

Travel retail operator Lagardère has named Jochen Halfmann as chief executive officer (CEO) in Germany.

Jochen Halfmann will take on the role of chief executive officer in Germany with immediate effect

In his position as CEO for Germany, Halfmann will be responsible for leading the growth and development of Lagardère Travel Retail in Germany. He will take on the role with immediate effect.

Frédéric Chevalier, regional chief operating officer, EMEA at Lagardère, said: “We are delighted to have Jochen joining our team in Germany and are looking forward to benefiting from his extensive experience of the retail industry to further grow our business in this market.

“Building on our European market leading position, Jochen will be focusing on strengthening our existing relationships with landlords as well as further grow our portfolio through new tenders”.

Halfmann will report directly to Chevalier and will be based in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Prior to joining Lagardère Travel Retail, Halfmann was the CEO of restaurant chain Vapiano. He has also held positions with banking firm Douglas Group and as global leader for Primera’s retail businesses Biba, Laurel, Apriori, Cavita and Escada.

Halfmann holds a degree in business administration from the Universities of Munich and Cologne.

Last year, the travel retail operator announced it had agreed to acquire International Duty Free (IDF) in a deal worth €250 million (US$278m).