Appearance of the new Obi chief

Approximately 520 delegates congregated in Berlin on Tuesday and Wednesday for the 5th International DIY Store Congress organised by the BHB, the German trade association. Among the speakers appearing at the event was Sergio Giroldi, the new head of Obi. According to the remarks he made there, the company intends to increase the international share of its turnover to around 60 per cent by 2010. In the words of the Obi chief, the consolidation of the market is compelling the company to accelerate its international investment. However, his presentation, which left many in his audience feeling rather at a loss, was felt to signal a break with the era of the company’s founder, Manfred Maus.
The extremely poor participation from the commercial side, which was represented in Berlin by only just over 60 delegates, caused a certain amount of dissatisfaction at the congress. The attendance figures overall remained on the same level as the last event held two years ago.