Beiersdorf announces boardroom changes and death of honorary chairman

By Simon Pitman

- Last updated on GMT

Georg Claussen, honorary chairman at Beiersdorf
Georg Claussen, honorary chairman at Beiersdorf

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Germany-based cosmetics and personal care Beiersdorf has announced a key change in its executive board, together with the passing of its honorary chairman Georg Claussen.

The company has confirmed the departure of Peter Feld, responsible for the European/North America region on Beiersdorf’s executive board since August 2010, which will be effective from July 31 of this year.

Feld’s responsibilities will be assumed by the copmany’s current CEO, Stefan Heidenback, until another alternative arrangement are made and communicated.

Three years helped forge the new Beiesdorf business structure

Feld decided not to renew his contract, which was due to expire after a three year period, a decisions that Dr. Reinhard Polltah, Beiersdorf’s chairman of the supervisory board described as being regretful.

During his time on the executive board the company said that Feld had made ‘a decisive contribution to the company’s progress’, which has been increasingly focused on making gains in developing markets.

Specifically, the company said that he had impacted further growth in the company’s core business, as well as strengthening the structures in place for the management and workforce, customer relationships, and the company’s market position with consumers.

Death of Georg Claussen at 100 years

Meanwhile, the company has also announced the death of Georg Claussen, who passed away at 100 years old, last week.

Claussen was a long-term CEO of the Beiersdorf business and head of the supervisory board, before ultimately becoming an honorary chairman.

“For three-quarters of a century, Claussen confidently represented a family company that took on the existential challenges of the continuously changing business environment, always motivating and reminding us of the need to be future-orientated,” said Dr. Pöllath.

Carrying on a family tradition, Claussen was the great nephew of Dr. Oscar Troplowitz, who invented the first Nivea Crème, back in 1911, and is personally credited for the introduction of brands such as 8x4 and ph5 Eucerin, together with important additions to the Nivea brand.

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