Paul Gauselmann steps down after 67 years leading Merkur Group

Paul Gauselmann, the founder of the Merkur Group, will retire as Management Board Chairman, marking the end of a 67-year leadership that transformed the company into an international giant. During his tenure, Gauselmann turned a one-man operation into a group with total sales revenues of about €4 billion ($4.46 billion) and external sales exceeding €2.7 billion.

Reflecting on his time at the helm, Gauselmann commented: “I have consistently devoted my energy to the company’s welfare and at the same time to the benefit of our approximately 15,000 employees. Now the time has come to entrust my life’s work to the younger generation.”

The group’s CFO, Lars Felderhoff, will take over as the new Chairman of the Management Board. Felderhoff, who has been with Merkur since 2018, will be joined by Jürgen Stühmeyer (sales) and Manfred Stoffers (marketing, communications, and political affairs) as Vice-Chairs. 

Gauselmann expressed confidence in the new leadership, stating: “We have accomplished this very well and are ideally positioned for the future.”

In addition to Felderhoff's appointment, Gauselmann’s son, Michael Gauselmann, will take over as Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation, succeeding both Paul Gauselmann and Manfred Grünewald.

Michael Gauselmann

“I am thrilled that my son Michael is embracing this important responsibility and will contribute his international experience to our company,” said the senior Gauselmann. Michael has been with the company since 1982, playing a key role in its international expansion.

Lars Felderhoff, 48, will now oversee the company’s next chapter, acknowledging the "immense" challenge of following in Gauselmann’s footsteps. “However, the company is robust and agile enough to continue setting new benchmarks in the future,” Felderhoff said.

The succession plan fulfills Paul Gauselmann’s long-term goal of reorganizing the company by his 90th birthday. He expressed satisfaction with the transition, confident that the new leadership will steer Merkur into a prosperous future.