Family-run company Ricola sets the course for the future
Ricola, a traditional company based in Laufen (Switzerland), has performed very successfully in recent years and has impressed worldwide with its specialties made from Swiss mountain herbs. The complexity of the management of the Ricola group has increased with the company’s growth, its intensified internationalization and the advancing digitalization. In order to meet these challenges, the owner family and the Board of Directors have implemented measures to drive this positive development of Ricola forward in future too.
Felix Richterich to focus on his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors
Having managed the family-run company successfully for 27 years and after holding a dual role for the last seven years as CEO and Chairman of the Board, Felix Richterich (aged 60) has now decided to concentrate on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors as of 1 May 2019 and to manage the Group strategically.
Thomas P. Meier the new CEO at Ricola
Thomas P. Meier will take over the operational management of Ricola as the new CEO on 1 May 2019. He is 48 years old, comes from Bülach, Canton Zurich, is married and has three daughters. He is very well prepared for his new task, having previously been CEO of Franke Coffee Systems, a globally active division of the Franke Group, and a member of the Executive Board of Franke. Before this, he held a number of key positions in the branded goods industry in the food sector for two decades and was latterly Managing Director Asia Pacific at Lindt & Sprüngli. Thomas P. Meier holds a degree in business administration from the University of St Gallen. With his professional experience, his international background and his Swiss virtues, Thomas P. Meier is well prepared to lead Ricola into the future together with the long-standing and experienced management team.
Owner family will remain involved
The Richterich family will remain involved in the company's strategy and operation with several members of the family. While Felix Richterich serves as Chairman, 34-year-old Raphael Richterich took over as the new Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors. He replaces 45-year-old Eva Richterich, the new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). She has been in charge of the Global Marketing and Innovation department since 1 January 2019. As the Vice-Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Ricola Eva Richterich has helped shape the company and the brand. In addition, she has set standards in innovation and digitalization as founder and head of the Ricolab innovation laboratory. In order to concentrate fully on her new role, Eva Richterich stepped down from the Board of Directors of Ricola on 1 January 2019.
With these measures, succession both on the Board of Directors and in the management team has been carefully clarified in good time to ensure that the traditional family-run company can be steered successfully into the future.