"Lord of the kiosks" steps down

With his charismatic personality and proactive approach to publishers, the "Lord of the Kiosks" has not only given the print media's most important distribution and promotion channel a likeable face. It was thanks to him that the Bern-based consumer goods group came into the limelight as a combative force in the print media business in the first place. But in June there was a bang. Hartmann was dismissed with immediate effect for "seriously exceeding his authority". The Valora CEO was alleged to have conducted takeover negotiations with the investment company GP Investimentos behind the back of the Board of Directors. The stock market greeted the abrupt departure with a fireworks display. Valora shares rose by 18.7 percent. The response of the publishing industry to the resignation cannot be expressed in figures. But the fact is that complaints about poor service at the kiosk have not become any quieter during the Hartmann era. Gone with a bang: former Valora CEO Reto Hartmann.
(dse)