Corporate Governance
Board of
Directors
Max E. Katz
1955, Swiss, Chairman since 29 April 2015, First elected 2012
Business graduate. Max E. Katz worked most recently as Chief Financial Officer and Member of Group Management at Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. in Zurich from 1995 until the end of 2010. In 2008 he also served as CEO on an interim basis. He graduated from the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration in Zurich. He started his career as a financial expert in 1981, working as Regional Controller for Jacobs Suchard AG in Zurich. From 1987 to 1991 he was Director of Finance & IT and a Member of the Executive Board of Mars Inc. (Effems AG) in Zug. From 1991 to 1995 he was Director of Finance & IT and a Member of the Executive Board of Hürlimann Holding AG in Zurich.
Dr. Ulla Ertelt
1954, German, First elected 2012
Economics graduate. Since 1994, sole Managing Director of HML Modemarketing, a market research company in Germany that regularly collects data on the German fashion and lifestyle market. Ulla Ertelt studied economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen and the Sorbonne in Paris. She also completed her training as a fashion designer in Paris, working with Karl Lagerfeld at Chloé as part of the course. She has chaired the Deutsches Mode Institut (German Institute of Fashion) since 2005. She has acted as consultant to clients in all sectors of the lifestyle, textiles and clothing industry and along the whole clothing supply chain.
Meinrad Fleischmann
1961, Swiss, Vice Chairman since 29 April 2015, first elected 2014
Lic. Oec., University of St. Gallen. CEO of the Pfister Group since 2007. Meinrad Fleischmann is an experienced leader with extensive knowledge of retail, especially fashion retail, in the Swiss market. Before becoming CEO of the Pfister Group, he was head of the fashion company Schild from 2002–2006. From 1999–2001 he was CEO of ABM and from 1997–1999 he was CEO of Herren Globus, where he began his career in 1987, holding various positions in purchasing and sales.
Prof. Dr. Matthias Freise
1965, German, First elected 2012
Industrial engineering graduate, doctorate in economics and social sciences (Dr. rer. pol.). Professor of Fashion Procurement and Retail Buying at Reutlingen University, Germany, since 2011. Matthias Freise was Vice President Group Sourcing at Charles Vögele from 2009 to 2011. Before that he worked from 1991 to 2009 in various roles at Hugo Boss. His final position at Hugo Boss was Director Operations Leisure Wear. In this role he was responsible for all operations connected to leisurewear products, from technical product development and procurement to production and delivery to customers. He was heavily involved in many strategic initiatives designed to take the company forward.
Remo Masala
1965, Italian, First elected 2015
Master of Business Administration, Kempten University, Germany. Joined tour operator Thomas Cook plc as Chief Marketing Officer in London in 2014. Remo Masala has years of experience in the development and implementation of omni-channel marketing strategies, brand management, customer relationship management (CRM), content strategies and marketing effectiveness. Prior to joining Thomas Cook plc, he assisted clients such as Ricola and Audi as an independent consultant. From 2007 to 2013, he was Chief Branding & Marketing Officer at Kuoni Reisen Holding AG in Zurich. Before this, he worked as Marketing Officer for companies such as LTU Touristik and Design Hotels.com.