METRO : strengthens Wholesale Business with Olivier van den Bossche

• Former CEO of HBC Europe and Galeria Kaufhof starts as Operating Partner at METRO Cash & Carry
• In his new role, van den Bossche supports the country organisations in enhancing their business

METRO AG is strengthening its leadership team in the wholesale business. Olivier van den Bossche is taking on the role of an Operating Partner at METRO Cash & Carry.In the future, the former CEO of HBC Europe and Galeria Kaufhofwill be responsible for a group of countries in the wholesale sector. In this context he, together with a team of experts, will support the CEO's and their management teams in the respective countries in positioning and boosting the local METRO Cash & Carrybusiness.

'With Olivier van den Bosschewe have engaged an internationally experi-enced trade expert for METRO. At Galeria Innohe has already demonstrated how to bring a business forward and he continued on this route with Galeria Kaufhofand HBC Europe', says Olaf Koch,Chairman of the Management Board of METRO AG.'He is now contributing this experience to METRO and will release many fresh impulses with his expertise, his wealth of ideas and his straightforward manner'.

Within the operating model of METRO Cash & Carrythe Operating Partners play a central role. This model was newly introduced in the financial year 2014/15 in line with the consistent focus on customer needs and market requirements. The goal is to endow the companies in the individual countries with greater operating responsibility and give them creative leeway by enabling them to respond faster and more flexibly to local demand and the customers' specific needs, thus exploiting the full growth potential. In his new role, Olivier van den Bosschereports to Pieter Boone,Management Board member and COO, who is at the same time Chairman of the Operating Board of METRO Cash & Carry.

Olivier van den Bossche started his career in retail in March 2000 with Maxi GB/ Carrefour Belgium. In September 2003, he transferred to Galeria Innoas store director and in July 2007 he was appointed CEO of Galeria Kaufhof GmbHbefore taking on the position of CEO HBC Europewhich he held from September 2015 to May 2017.

METRO is a leading international specialist in wholesale and food retail. The company operates in 35 countries and employs more than 150,000 people worldwide. In the financial year 2015/16, METRO generated sales of around €37 billion.The company provides custom solutions to meet the local and international needs of its wholesale and retail customers. With its sales brands METRO/MAKRO Cash & Carryand Real as well as delivery services and digitisation initiatives METRO sets the standards for tomorrow: for customer focus, digital solutions and sustainable business models.