January 12, 2024
A big handover is imminent for streetwear retailer Snipes: founder and CEO Sven Voth will hand over the helm of the company. Dennis Schröder, previously General Manager Europe, takes over as CEO of Snipes SE. And Voth will remain on board until the end of 2025, before the Snipes founder leaves the operating business.
25 years after founding the German streetwear and sneaker retailer, Sven Voth announces his departure from Snipes. It’s a farewell in installments, because Voth won’t leave operations until the end of 2025. “Snipes is my life’s work and will always be a part of me. “I realize it’s time to pass the torch,” said Voth, who appeared on the cover of Forbes magazine in 2021.
Dennis Schröder, who joined the role of General Manager Europe at Snipes in early 2023, will take over as CEO of Snipes SE, effective immediately. Schröder knows the sports and retail market very well: before Snipes he worked as general manager at 11teamsports and at the same time founded the start-up Teamsports.ai. Previously he held senior positions at Nike (Global Strategic Account Director) and Puma. Schröder: “Snipes is a company with a great philosophy, an incomparable USP and employees who want to be ‘more than just a retailer’.”
He is supported by Peter Buse (COO), Daniel Bontjer (CRO) and Tim Spickenbom (CFO), who all act as managing directors. Voth continues to have decision-making power also as CEO. In 2026 he will then move to an advisory role. Jim Bojko will continue to lead the US operations as president of Snipes USA.
Dennis Schröder
Voth’s exit freezes also linked to ownership structures. In 2011 the Deichmann Group entered the game and took over the majority stake in Snipes. On that occasion it was also agreed that the remaining shares would be progressively taken over by Deichmann. The last shares of Voth have now been sold to Deichmann, which begins a two-year transition phase. This process will end at the end of 2025. Voth: “With the transfer of all shares to the Deichmann Group this journey is coming to an end.”
Voth handpicked Schröder and wants to help his successor take on the new role as quickly as possible. “Over the next two years I will be working full throttle with the teams before moving into a consulting position and starting a new journey for myself,” says Voth. The founder himself will support Snipes over the next two years in specific areas, such as network expansion. In addition to collaborations with musicians such as Snoop Dogg, Macklemore, Kid Ink and Meek Mill, Snipes brought DJ Khaled to the company as Chief Creative Officer in 2019. In 2023, Snipes and Khaled opened the We The Best x Snipes store in Miami.
The company completely But “the new guy” doesn’t want to upset the situation. Schröder rather wants to exploit Snipes’ strengths: “I joined Snipes because I was always convinced of the direction and strategy. “So we don’t have to change this, but we have to further refine the brand and Snipes as a global authenticator of street culture,” Schröder said. However, he wants to make some changes in his new role as CEO: “I want Snipes to be more data-oriented, strengthen the operational business and, of course, continue to maintain the corporate culture that is important to Snipes.”
Klaus Fiala,
Editor-in-Chief
2024-01-12 09:34:28
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