Internet trading
Amazon changes boss for German-speaking countries
The undated photo shows Ralf Kleber, Managing Director of Amazon Germany for over 20 years. Photo: Amazon Germany / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
After 20 years, Amazon is getting a new boss in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Long-time Country Manager Ralf Kleber is leaving his post.
At the US group Amazon After 20 years the boss changes in the German-speaking countries: The “Country Manager” Ralf Kleber, who has been in office since February 2002, will hand over his position to 47-year-old Rocco Bräuniger in January.
Bräuninger was previously responsible for the European consumer goods business, as the company announced in Munich on Tuesday. In his new position, Bräuniger will – like his predecessor – manage Amazon not only in Germany, but also in Austria and Switzerland.
Amazon has been active in Germany since 1998, back then with a few dozen employees. Kleber joined in 1999, in 2000 he was first CFO before he took over the management in February 2002. Today, Amazon employs more than 28,000 people in the three countries, who, according to the company, generate annual sales of almost 30 billion dollars.
Bräuniger has been an Amazon manager for many years and has worked for the group since 2006. Kleber will stay with Amazon until mid-2022 to accompany the transition.
Amazon continues to expand rapidly. The group now employs almost 1.5 million people worldwide, and Amazon has hired almost 600,000 people around the world since the second quarter of 2020 alone. The majority of the workforce – around one million – are based in the United States. For the Christmas season alone, Amazon was looking for more than 300,000 seasonal workers internationally, 50,000 of them in Europe, according to the US parent’s quarterly announcement.
The future boss Bräuniger emphasized that Amazon is aware of its responsibility. “This includes very fair and good dealings with all employees as well as our promise to work climate-neutrally by 2040.” Amazon has been criticized by unions and environmentalists for years. Verdi holds Amazon against the rejection of collective agreements, environmental initiatives often target packaging waste. Amazon always denied the allegations.