TORONTO & COLOGNE, 2016-Jul-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — Hudson’s Bay Company (“HBC” or “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of its management team for the expansion of HBC Europe into the Netherlands. The appointed managers are well acquainted with the Dutch market and its customers and bring with them a wealth of experience from the department store sector in the Netherlands.
In May, HBC announced that it intends to enter the Netherlands with up to 20 new stores over the next two years. With the department store Hudson’s Bay and the premium off-price format Saks OFF 5TH, HBC’s expansion into the Netherlands introduces two new exciting retail concepts to the Dutch market. The Company is leveraging the existing European business infrastructure which is located with its headquarters in Cologne. The Dutch team will report to Olivier Van den Bossche, Head of HBC’s European department store business.
Olivier Van den Bossche stated:
“Opening 20 stores for two banners in two years requires a strong team with thorough knowledge of the local market. We are very excited about the composition of our team in the Netherlands. They all have excellent and complementary department store know-how with different backgrounds, and are well known in the Dutch market. We are very proud that we were able to assemble this experienced team for HBC.”
Mr. Jacco Van der Steen will be Director Marketing and Buying at Hudson’s Bay in the Netherlands. In addition, he will be leading the management team. Jacco Van der Steen has worked for many years at the high-end department store chain De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands. As Director Marketing and Buying he is also responsible for the Belgium sister company Galeria Inno.
Mr. Edwin Boer will be Director Store Operations at Hudson’s Bay in the Netherlands. He worked for more than ten years at De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands and most recently at the Dutch department store group HEMA.
Mrs. Kirsten Nijmeijer will be Director Human Resources at Hudson’s Bay in the Netherlands. She has worked for many years as HR Manager for MEXX Europe and for fashion companies like PVH Europe (Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) and WE Fashion in Utrecht.
Mrs. Elly Zwinnen is Regional Sales Manager of Galeria Inno. She will take on the project management for Hudson’s Bay in the Netherlands.
About Hudson’s Bay Company
Hudson’s Bay Company is one of the fastest-growing department store retailers in the world, based on its successful formula of driving the performance of high quality stores and their all channel offerings, unlocking the value of real estate holdings and growing through acquisitions. Founded in 1670, HBC is the oldest company in North America. HBC’s portfolio today includes ten banners, in formats ranging from luxury to better department stores to off price fashion shopping destinations, with more than 460 stores and 66,000 employees around the world. In North America, HBC’s leading banners include Hudson’s Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gilt, and Saks OFF 5TH, along with Find @ Lord & Taylor and Home Outfitters. In Europe, its banners include GALERIA Kaufhof, the largest department store group in Germany, Belgium’s only department store group Galeria INNO, as well as Sportarena. HBC has significant investments in real estate joint ventures. It has partnered with Simon Property Group Inc. in the HBS Global Properties Joint Venture, which owns properties in the United States and Germany. In Canada, it has partnered with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust in the RioCan-HBC Joint Venture.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Citigate First Financial
Marieke Heringa
+31-6-11327533
marieke.heringa@citigateff.nl
Ingrid Prins
+31-6-51592484
ingrid.prins@citigateff.nl
Hudson’s Bay Company
Andrew Blecher
+1-212-391-3179
andrew.blecher@hbc.com
Gerd Koslowski
+49-(0)221-223-5595
gerd.koslowski@kaufhof.de
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- Management team appointed for the expansion of HBC Europe into the Netherlands
Source: HBC