In the Otto mail order dynasty, the course is set for a generational change. Michael Otto, who turned 80 a few months ago, has named his son Benjamin Otto as his successor as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Shareholders. The 48-year-old is taking control of the group, with long-time CEO Alexander Birken at his side, as the Hamburg company announced. Birken's successor will be Petra Scharner-Wolff, the current CFO.
While other family companies argue violently and publicly for years about such decisions, this transition has been prepared for a long time – and is taking time: It is about making the transition possible gradually and calmly, according to the statement. The change at the top of the board is planned for 2025; Benjamin Otto, as representative of the third generation of owners, will not take over overall responsibility until March 1, 2026.
Continuity on the board too
“One of the biggest challenges for family businesses is the successful generational change,” says Michael Otto, classifying the decisions: “I am very confident that Benjamin will not only lead the Otto Group into a good economic future, but will also keep the special values of our family company alive .”
His son's statement speaks of the respect he has for overall responsibility for the Otto Group with more than 40,000 employees. At the same time, Benjamin Otto points out that he has had many years of opportunity to prepare for his new role at the top of the foundation company through his own entrepreneurial activities and as a creative partner. Among other things, the grandson of the company founder is one of the founders of the listed group company About You.
Continuity is also evident in the board personnel. “After so many years in the Otto Group, I am very pleased to be able to take over as Chairman of the Board,” comments Petra Scharner-Wolff. The 52-year-old business graduate has been working in management positions in the group since 1999. Since 2015, she has been responsible for finance, controlling and human resources on the board. From March 2025 she will be the new Otto boss. “Retail, logistics and financial services, as well as the Otto Group, are facing major challenges worldwide,” Scharner-Wolff makes it clear: “I’m looking forward to it.” Her successor in the finance and human resources department will be Katy Roewer, who has previously been divisional director .
Support for Fridays for Future
With the chair back on the board, the current Otto boss Alexander Birken will move to the top of the supervisory board next March. The 59-year-old, who has been CEO since 2017, knows the group like hardly anyone else thanks to more than 30 years of international work for Otto, it is said in Hamburg. “We successfully navigated the Otto Group through stormy times,” recalls Birken himself: “We not only paid attention to economic responsibility, but always saw ourselves as part of society and stood up for people and nature.”
In fact, the mail order company is influenced by the entrepreneur Michael Otto. The trained banker and doctor of economics is known to the public not only as the mail order king, but also because he is socially committed. He threw toxic paints and furs out of the range early on, in the 1990s he founded an environmental foundation, and more recently he supports Fridays for Future.
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