Holger Zerfass Email & Phone Number

Atlanta, GA, US

Cumming, Georgia, US

Neukirchen Bei Lambach, Oberösterreich, AT

• Identifying and devising suitable growth strategies in close collaboration with clients. Introduction and facilitation of partnership negotiations with a wide variety of major North American companies including Kohl’s.
• Doubled customer base of global accessories company in 3 years with subsequent roll-out to ⠀500+ stores (with major additions currently in process)
• Conducted competitive analysis and tripled customer base of globally renowned product ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀designer in the USA and in Europe in under 3 years
• Devised US market entry strategy for European premium outerwear brand and grew customer ⠀base from 0 to 30 business partners in 2 years

• Recruited by the owner of European/ Japanese Lifestyle Denim brand ‘One Green Elephant’ to plan, start, and lead the European retail operations.
• Led team of 70 employees in head office and stores
• Devised market entry strategy and established store network of 10 stores in under 2 years ⠀with annual sales exceeding EUR 3.5m
• Created planning tool for merchandise planning for buying team and wholesale sales division ⠀(partner spaces)
• Developed partner strategy to expand Shop-in-Shop operations with partners and ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀implemented strategy with OGE wholesale team

Amsterdam, North Holland, NL

• Recruited by the Managing Director of the largest European Tommy Hilfiger organization to take over and aggressively grow the retail organization.
• Led team of 4 buyers and 2 assistants to double store count from 17 to 35 stores in under 2 ⠀years (location search, contract negotiations, store design, recruiting)
• Organized significant optimization of operational excellence in close collaboration with the ⠀European Tommy Hilfiger head office
• Contributed first-hand experiences from sales and buying team to refine the Futura ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀merchandise management system for its use in the European Hilfiger store network
• Managed collaboration with external HR consultants to introduce sophisticated training ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀operations and staff bonus schemes

Düsseldorf, DE

• Joined the strategic inhouse consulting team of the largest premium department store major in Europe; reporting directly to the board, the task was to devise growth opportunities and implement the necessary strategic.
• Collaborated in board-led project team to achieve cost savings in excess of EUR 25m over a 5 ⠀year period through major operational and legal restructuring of in-house logistics operation
• Led team of 3 consultants to realize cost savings in excess of EUR 5m p.a. by introducing ⠀novel forms of staff planning systems
• Achieved cost savings in excess of EUR 1m p.a. by connecting Peek & Cloppenburg to ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀industry solution for hanger logistics

Recruited straight out of university to join the consulting practice of the KPMG advisory group.

Düsseldorf, NRW, DE

Department Manager on the shop floor, responsible for visual merchandising, merchandise management, marketing measures such as markdowns, promotions

Ba (Hons) 1St Class, European Business Programme

Diplom Betriebswirt (Fh), European Business Programme