Following more than 30 successful years of leadership, former LOWA CEO Werner Riethmann has retired from active management of the company. While Werners' retirement commenced on the 30th of January 2024, LOWA has reported that he remains a 20% shareholder and advisor for the company.
Werner Riethmann joined the LOWA management team back in 1992 and was instrumental in navigating the company through a difficult time, with major achievements including the market launch of the famous Renegade boot in 1997. More recently, Werner was a key figure in the takeover of the previous production partner in Slovakia in 2019 and therefore assisted in the process of securing the future of LOWA’s commitment to a ‘Made in Europe’ philosophy.
Despite the departure of such a huge figure within the footwear industry, LOWA remains in great hands with its growth as strong as ever. The footwear manufacturer, which sells products in 80 countries worldwide, will now be led by sole Managing Director Alex Nicolai. Alex has been a member of the LOWA management team since 2019, holding significant knowledge of the company. He is joined by Rudolf Limmer as Chief Financial Officer and Matthias Wanner as Chief Sales Officer.
Reflecting on his time with LOWA, Werner commented that he is grateful to have “been able to help shape the proud history of this company, whose foundations were laid by the Wagner and Lederer families, over such a long period of time.”
Werner has also heralded the unique spirit of LOWA, highlighting that “the success of the past decades is not the work of one individual, but always the achievement of excellent teamwork and the pursuit of the highest product quality.” Looking forward to what LOWA may look like under new management, he adds, “LOWA is a growing and healthy company. With Alex Nicolai and the management team, it is ideally positioned to continue on its successful path.”
We do not doubt that Werner Riethmann’s influence will continue to be seen in new product development and releases of the future, and are excited to share what LOWA has in store for the year ahead under new management. Should you have any questions about what the future looks like for LOWA, or about any of the footwear we have available here at Taskforce Distribution, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert team.
