There are currently some exciting internal changes taking place at EXPED: A change in management, new areas of responsibility and a newly created position. Hubi Rutishauser, International Sales Manager and member of the Executive Board, will be leaving the Swiss company for innovative outdoor equipment at the end of the year. After 28 years, has decided to spend more time outdoors and travelling the world. Not an easy departure for EXPED, as Hubi has played a decisive role in shaping the company during his years with the company. „EXPED was ‚the place to wor‘ for me. I have made many great acquaintances over these years in all parts of the world in my position as International Sales Manager. Now it’s time to visit them outside of the work environment,“ says Hubi. „I am very grateful for my years at EXPED and wish the leadership and team all the best.“
A new leadership team
The three-person leadership team at EXPED is however complete again. As of 01.04.2022, Eicke Thiele became a member of the management team. In addition, he took over the newly created position of Head of Sales and Marketing. With his degree as a federally certified Sales Director, the 33-year-old brings the right know-how with him. He has already been part of EXPED for the past six years as Sales Director of our German speaking markets and the successful Product Manager of the sleeping bag category.
Eicke Thiele is looking forward to the new challenge. In his position, he wants to break new ground with EXPED, but always remain true to the roots of the Swiss company. „We will continue to adhere to our proven outdoor specialty retail approach in the future. Close cooperation and active communication with our retailers remains our focus. Direct feedback is enormously important, especially for product development. We want to keep it that way,“ says Eicke Thiele. „At the same time, however, we would like to strengthen this communication even further and expand it to the international markets in particular.“ Innovative product development is to remain in the foreground. „We are product-driven and we want to stay that way. The topic of sustainability has always been very important at EXPED, but we would like to take a more active role there as well,“ explains Eicke Thiele. „So far, as a small Swiss company, we have been more active in the background. Now we want to network more.“ EXPED has already taken the first step. Since the beginning of 2022, the company has been a member of the European Outdoor Group.
A restructuring
The change in management is also accompanied by some restructuring. While Marc Raillard continues to be responsible for Product Management and HR, Betti Frangi is increasingly focusing on managing IT, controlling and finance in order to meet the increased and complex demands in these areas.
In the past two years, EXPED has already brought on board five new motivated employees and has strengthened the key departments of marketing, logistics and product management in particular. This means that additional know-how has definitely been added to the established team. Despite all the changes, EXPED continues to focus on the joy of being outdoors, „you can and should be outdoors“, and Hubi now lives it.
