PKZ strengthens management with new digital chief position
The Swiss fashion house PKZ is pursuing a clear digital strategy and is creating a new position on its executive board: Chief Digital Officer. Reto Senti, previously the company’s head of purchasing, was appointed CDO effective January 1, 2018. He will be replaced by Peter Schuppisser, who will join PKZ’s executive board from Globus effective March 1, 2018.
PKZ, a pioneer in the field of e-commerce in Switzerland, opened its online store back in 2011. Sales have risen steadily since then, with double-digit growth year after year. In order to implement and further develop the digital strategy even more consistently, the management has been expanded to include the function of a Chief Digital Officer (CDO). This is intended to drive the digital transformation of the family-owned company even faster.
Manuela Beer, CEO of PKZ, says: "We are pursuing very ambitious goals with digitization. This calls for a clear division of tasks and corresponding management responsibility." So it made sense to create the position of a CDO. Important projects this year will include, in particular, the new website and the introduction of the new, very innovative operating system, in which over one million Swiss francs will be invested.
In his new role as CDO, Reto Senti leads a team of currently 22 people. He has been with the Swiss fashion company since 2002 and held the position as head of purchasing for the entire PKZ Group since 2014. "The digital development and a competent online presence of a company are mandatory for the overall positive development and growth, especially for the stores. That's why this task is particularly interesting and an exciting challenge for me," says Reto Senti.
The CDO will also be responsible for implementing the omni-channel strategy, which is a top priority at PKZ. This involves closely dovetailing the stationary business with the online store. "Our customers decide how, when and where they want to shop with us," explains Manuela Beer. "Whether in one of our 40 stores or via the Internet should no longer play a role for us as a service provider. Consumers are sovereign."
The position of Head of Purchasing will be taken over by Peter Schuppisser, who will move from Globus to PKZ as of March 1, 2018. He has been responsible for various fashion areas at the Migros subsidiary as purchasing manager since 2006, most recently as purchasing manager for accessories. Manuela Beer says: "We are very happy with the new appointment. Peter Schuppisser is a proven fashion expert with a very good feel for style and trends."
