Bench creates chief operating officer role

Apparel brand Bench has appointed Thomas Wölfle to the newly created role of chief operating officer. He will be responsible for the supply chain, operations and IT of the British street and sportswear retailer.

Wölfle has many years of experience in process management across various industries, working in several senior management positions at Magna Group and the Munich-based software company Actano. In the last two years, he has worked as an independent business consultant for a number of clients, including Bench.

He joins the management team that includes Bruno Sälzer as chairman and CEO, Natalie Süssmann as chief marketing officer, Sebastian Streck as chief product officer, Sebastian Prallet as chief wholesale officer, Andy Marsh as chief retail officer and Paul Stout as chief financial officer.

The appointment follows the strengthening of Bench’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, where the brand’s design, marketing, communication, e-commerce, wholesale and licensing businesses will be located, alongside the retailer’s Manchester offices which will continue to run operational areas such as finance and distribution.