Claus-Dietrich Lahrs and Gil Steyaert will run for the Supervisory Board of Mister Spex SE

Berlin, 29 April 2024

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs and Gil Steyaert will run for the Supervisory Board of Mister Spex SE
 

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs (60), an accomplished executive with an international career in luxury and fashion groups, is running for the Supervisory Board of Mister Spex SE. His nomination is endorsed by the current Supervisory Board. It is intended that, if elected, he will serve as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. With a background in business administration Lahrs held senior management positions at Cartier and Louis Vuitton in Northern Europe before he became President and CEO with Louis Vuitton in North America. At Christian Dior Couture he was Managing Director for the global business. As CEO and Chairman of Hugo Boss AG Lahrs steered the global expansion of the brand from 2008 till 2016 before he moved to Bottega Veneta as CEO where he successfully managed to bring new growth momentum to the brand, a member of Kering group. As Chairman of the Management Board at s.Oliver Group from 2019 till 2022 Lahrs orchestrated a restructuring program in a challenging moment for the fashion industry. With his long-term membership in the supervisory boards of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE and Ravensburger AG Lahrs brings a rich experience in corporate governance. 

Gil Steyaert (61) is also running for a Supervisory Board position and if elected, he will become Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board. His nomination is also endorsed by the current Supervisory Board. Originally from France, Gil brings a wealth of experience in the sports, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. After a decade at the Kellogg Company, most recently as Vice President and Marketing Director for the French-speaking region, Gil joined adidas in 1999 as Managing Director for the French market. For over 20 years, Gil played a pivotal role in the brand’s European success in various capacities. Notably, he was also responsible for the Adidas’s presence at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. His tenure as Managing Director for Western Europe saw a remarkable sales increase of over 50%, earning him a seat at the Adidas Management Board as COO Global Operations in 2017. Since 2019, Gil has been a Senior Advisor for the international management consultancy Simon Kucher, focusing on transformation projects for brand companies. Additionally, he serves as a Director of the Board for Velcro Companies as a Non Executive Director. Velcro being a global leader of the fastening hook and loop solutions.

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs and Gil Steyaert will stand for election at this year's Annual General Meeting of Mister Spex SE on June 7th in Berlin, succeeding the previous Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Peter Williams, and Stuart Paterson, who are both not seeking re-election. Alongside Nicole Srock.Stanley, Birgit Kretschmer, Pietro Luigi Longo, and Nicola Brandolese, four members of the seven-member Supervisory Board are also standing for re-election. Additionally, Tobias Krauss has been already elected until 2026.

"We would like to thank Peter Williams and Stuart Paterson for their unwavering dedication, expertise and vision in advising the management of Mister Spex. Their invaluable contribution and constructive collaborations over the past years have been truly commendable”, explains Dirk Graber, CEO of Mister Spex. "With Claus-Dietrich Lahrs and Gil Steyaert, we have found two candidates for the Supervisory Board who will bring remarkable expertise in the retail and fashion markets. We trust that the Annual General Meeting will endorse the election proposals put forth by Supervisory Board, and we will be able to welcome both candidates to Mister Spex in June."

Peter Williams, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Mister Spex, underscores: "After over a decade as Chairman at Mister Spex, during which the company has established itself as a leading omnichannel optician in Europe, I believe it is time for me to retire from the board. It has been a highlight of my career to work with the Mister Spex team. With their significant fashion retail experience, I am confident that Claus-Dietrich and Gil will bring valuable new perspectives to the Supervisory Board."

About Mister Spex SE:

Founded in 2007, Mister Spex SE (together with its subsidiaries, "Mister Spex") is a multi-award-winning company that has become the leading digitally-driven omni-channel optician in Europe. Mister Spex has been at the forefront of the industry’s transformational shift, growing from a pure online player into a successful omni-channel optician with more than 5 million customers and 10 online shops across Europe, as well as brick-and-mortar retail stores. As a digital native, technology and innovation have always been integral parts of the company’s evolution, from 2D to 3D digital frame fitting tools to intelligent browsing features. Mister Spex focusses on making purchasing glasses a shopping experience that is simple, transparent and, at the same time, fun for customers – offering a comprehensive and diverse range of high-quality products in combination with extensive expertise in optics and advice from the customer service team, its own branches and an extensive network of partner opticians.

Corporate Communications I communications@misterspex.de

Mister Spex SE 

Hermann-Blankenstein-Strasse 24
D-10249 Berlin
Website: www.misterspex.de  
Corporate Website: https://corporate.misterspex.com

Disclaimer:

This publication contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the management of Mister Spex SE and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those described herein as a result of factors affecting Mister Spex, such as changes in general economic conditions and the competitive environment, capital market risks, foreign exchange rate fluctuations and competition from other companies, as well as changes in international and national laws and regulations, particularly with respect to tax laws and regulations. Mister Spex SE assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

This publication contains supplementary financial measures (not specifically identified in relevant accounting frameworks) that are, or may be, so-called alternative performance measures. For purposes of evaluating the financial condition and results of operations of Mister Spex, these supplemental financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to the financial measures presented in the consolidated financial statements and determined in accordance with relevant accounting frameworks. Other companies that present or report alternative performance measures with a similar title may calculate them differently. Explanations of financial ratios used can be found in the Annual Report 2021 of Mister Spex, which is available at https://ir.misterspex.com/.