Gerd Chrzanowski
Gerd Chrzanowski is a passionate entrepreneur who places great importance on economic responsibility and values-based action. In his role as General Partner of Schwarz Group, he is resolutely committed to the megatrends of digitalisation, sustainability and healthy nutrition; acting ahead and serving as a catalyst for the economy in Germany and Europe.
After almost 25 years at the companies of Schwarz Group, Chrzanowski understands the retail industry better than virtually anyone else. As the General Partner of Schwarz Unternehmenstreuhand KG, he has been responsible for the strategic leadership of the companies of Schwarz Group, including Lidl, Kaufland, Schwarz Produktion, PreZero, Schwarz Digits and Schwarz Corporate Solutions, since December 2021. With roughly 595,000 employees in 32 countries, the companies of Schwarz Group are one of the leading retail groups worldwide, and that calls for responsible corporate management with strategic foresight.
Chrzanowski's innovative strength is evident in his approach to modern technologies and forward-thinking concepts. For instance, he understood the importance of the circular economy early on and supported the founding of the environmental service provider PreZero. His involvement in the areas of cloud computing and cybersecurity also formed the basis for Schwarz Group's strategic expansion towards digitalisation.
From 2014, Chrzanowski was the Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, Chief Executive Officer of SB Dienstleistung KG, and Deputy General Partner as well as member of the Executive Board of Schwarz Dienstleistung KG, before assuming his current role. During this time, he set trends in IT, mobility and digitalisation, which have permanently shaped Schwarz Group's strategic direction. From 2008 to 2014, he served as the Chief Central Services Officer at Lidl in Germany, having completely restructured the sales department there. Chrzanowski started his career with the companies of Schwarz Group in 2000 as an in-house consultant at Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, where he drove innovative solutions at an early stage.
Born in Offenburg, he graduated from Bochum University of Applied Sciences with a degree in Business Administration and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Before he went to university, he completed an automobile salesperson apprenticeship.
