Business · Companies · 10 hrs ago
Migros chief and supermarket head to leave after restructuring votes
Migros chief Mario Irminger and supermarket head Peter Diethelm plan to leave after member votes in 2027.
The announcement comes as Migros proposes replacing its 10 regional cooperatives with one national cooperative.
About 2.3 million cooperative members will vote in their regions by mid-2027, and the plan needs a two-thirds majority in every region.
The company says the two executives are leaving because of their age and because the transformation is expected to take at least five years.
Migros says both will continue in their jobs until the votes, and Diethelm will advise on the transformation until the end of 2028.
A search committee is considering internal and external candidates, with both roles due to be filled by early 2027.
Migros Zurich head Patrik Pörtig and Geneva head Grégory Décaillet are among the names mentioned as possible successors.
Migros CEO Mario Irminger and supermarket head Peter Diethelm plan to leave after member votes on a major restructuring, expected by mid-2027.
The restructuring plan would replace Migros’s 10 regional cooperatives with a single cooperative.
Migros says both executives are leaving because of their age and the transformation’s expected duration of at least five years.
An industry insider suspects regional cooperative heads may have pushed Irminger out, but Migros denies a power struggle.
A search committee is considering internal and external candidates for both roles.
- Who
- Migros CEO Mario Irminger and Migros Supermarket head Peter Diethelm.
- What
- Both plan to leave their roles after votes on a proposed restructuring. Migros plans to appoint successors by early 2027.
- When
- After member votes expected by mid-2027.
- Where
- Migros, Switzerland.
- Why
- Migros says the executives are leaving because of their age and because the transformation will take at least five years. An insider suspects a power struggle, which Migros denies.
Migros
Industry insider
Reason for Irminger’s departure
Migros
Migros says his decision has nothing to do with resistance or a power struggle and cites his age and the transformation’s length.
Industry insider
The insider suspects the cooperative heads pushed Irminger out and may have sought a successor from their ranks.
Role of cooperative heads
Migros
Migros says Irminger supports the single-cooperative plan and will remain in his role until the member vote.
Industry insider
The insider suggests the cooperative heads may have made a new CEO from their ranks a condition of supporting the merger.
Migros announced plans to create a single cooperative from its 10 regional cooperatives, and Irminger and Diethelm announced their departures.
Migros aims to appoint successors to both executives.
Members in the regions are expected to vote on the restructuring.
Irminger and Diethelm plan to hand over their roles.
Diethelm is expected to advise on the transformation.
- Regional cooperatives
- 10
- Proposed structure
- One Migros cooperative
- Members
- 2.3 million
- Approval threshold
- Two-thirds majority in every region
- Expected transformation duration
- At least five years
- Successor appointments
- Both roles to be filled by early 2027
2 sources
What people are saying
Mario Irminger’s decision has nothing to do with resistance or a power struggle
Since the transformation will take at least five years and it does not fit their life plans to continue their demanding functions throughout this period, they have decided to hand over their roles after the member votes
From an age perspective, Irminger could still do it
I will focus on the chairmanship of the Supermarket AG board and accompany and advance the transformation with the cooperatives