Jack Wolfskin has shifted several key executives to support rapid growth in Europe. Hartmut Klein, senior manager European sales, will now take care of the markets outside of the German-speaking countries and the United Kingdom. Natascha El Mahmoud will be taking on the new post of senior manager D/A/CH, or the world’s German-speaking regions.


Jack Wolfskin is achieving an ever-increasing share of its sales outside Germany. Hartmut Klein, who has for many years been in charge of Central Europe including D/A/CH, will now focus on boosting this growth further. The French market in particular, with the development of the French wholesale structure, will be his future focus. In addition, he will also look to expand sales structures in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Klein has been working for Jack Wolfskin since 1994.


Natascha El Mahmoud will be taking on some of the tasks assigned to Hartmut Klein in her role as senior manager sales D/A/CH. El Mahmoud, who has been working for Jack Wolfskin since 2002, will continue building on the ongoing growth of Jack Wolfskin in German-speaking countries and Switzerland and will expand the brand’s leading position in the market still further. Andreas Keller, who has until now been responsible for some of the major key accounts in Germany, will be taking up El Mahmoud’s previous post as Sales Manager Apparel Germany.


“The impressive growth of our brand requires additional responsibilities in sales so that Jack Wolfskin can continue to meet the needs of retailers and franchisers”, explained Markus Boetsch, managing director sales, Jack Wolfskin.


The announcement follows an announcement last month that Jack Wolfskin owners Barclays Private Equity and Quadriga Capital are in talks to sell the company to Blackstone Group LP in a dealy that should close in the current quarter. Barclays and Quadriga suspended separate talks to sell Jack Wolfskin in the spring to it could reset the company’s valuation after result came in better than exepcted.


Jack Wolfskin is the largest franchisor in the German specialist sports retail market. The companyd outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment are currently available in more than 400 franchise stores and at 4,000 points of sale across Europe and Asia. In the 2009 calendar year, the company recorded sales revenues of 304.2 million in Europe, up 21 percent on the previous year. Jack Wolfskin GmbH & Co. KGaA is headquartered in Idstein im Taunus and employs more than 460 people.