Our Experts

Mario Hummer

Expert in Purchasing Food, Non-Food Products and Sales

The top expert in the European retail and brand world. He supports and accompanies you with his expertise from the product idea through product and brand development to listing on the shelves.

As part of the international purchasing management team at ALDI SOUTH/HOFER for over 20 years, Mario was primarily responsible for a large purchasing team with over 100 employees and an annual purchasing volume of over €1bn.

Dr. Michael Robl

Expert in strategy, sales, negotiation, and go-to-market

Michael brings more than 28 years of experience in top management roles within leading companies in the consumer goods industry. Most recently, he spent 7 years as Managing Director for the CEE region, including Austria and Switzerland, at Henkel Beauty Care Retail. His main responsibilities included the efficient management and profitable growth of 21 countries and the expansion of market leadership. Previously, as Managing Director of the largest CEE market, Poland, he focused on local business operations and the implementation strength and quality of a large local team.

Tobias Clairmont

Expert in brand strategy, brand experience, and 360-degree communication

Tobias has been a strategist and consultant in the communications industry for 30 years. Over 20 of those years, he served as Managing Director and Partner at top German agencies like Tribal DDB and Grabarz XCT, one of Germany’s first specialized agencies for brand experience. Today, he runs his own company, focusing on brand experience.

Klaus Schockmann

Expert in FMCG, Private Equity and M&A

Klaus has over 30 years of experience in the food sector (FMCG), including 12 years of leading a company in the Private Label FOOD sector.

Operational responsibility in various management cultures of global US corporations (Pepsi-Cola, Mars, Colgate-Palmolive) and medium-sized, family-owned German companies (Schwartauer Werke, Nordgetreide, CORVIS Green). Entrepreneurial mindset and working style with a clear focus on long-term value enhancement of the company. Excellent realization and implementation skills – „Execution Excellence“. Know-how in M&A in the organic food sector and start-ups (analyzed and evaluated more than 20 companies since 2017).

Thomas van Duinen

Expert in sourcing and projects directly in Asia

The Asian production and supply chain is his area of expertise, and he has shaped the ESG-compliant retail supply chains as we know them today. Thomas resides in Hong Kong, speaks the language fluently, and brings over 25 years of experience as a General Manager in various companies, specializing in both brand and private label. This gives us direct access to suppliers, allowing for cost-effective sourcing and significant savings for you.

Joseph Renz

Expert in fresh produce and procurement management

Joseph brings over 20 years of pan‑European fresh produce expertise—gained at top retailers like Edeka, Lidl, and Netto and honed through leading procurement teams in Germany, Sweden, and Spain, as well as overseeing sales and product development across Europe at a British‑American fruit company.

Bernhard Kloucek

Expert in franchise systems, expansion strategy for gastronomy and retail, and building lifestyle brands

As an inspiring entrepreneur, business consultant, and corporate trainer, Bernhard brings unparalleled expertise in sales, distribution, business positioning, strategy, franchising, and expansion. His journey, marked by extensive experience and a passion for transformative growth, has made him a sought-after authority in the industry.

Sonja Schuster

Expert in Brand & Communications, Customer Experience, and Market Research

Sonja brings nearly 20 years of experience from Telekom, where she held various roles. She spent over 10 years as the Head of Brand & Communications at congstar GmbH, managing all communication topics including ATL, BTL, online, and particularly retail marketing. Additionally, she spent 5 years at Telekom in the Innovation department, focusing on Virtual and Augmented Reality in Commercial Management.

Lena Weigele

Expert in Supply Chain & Logistics

As a former international manager in the field of supply chain and logistics, she also advises companies of all sizes in industries such as automotive, pharmaceuticals, packaging, FMCG, plastics processing, mechanical engineering, sanitary products, and (hotel) cosmetics on optimizing their global supply chain setup. Her expertise particularly lies in sustainability, strategy, and the establishment of distribution centers.