EQS-News: Mister Spex: Tobias Krauss takes over as CEO

Mister Spex: Tobias Krauss takes over as CEO

• Current Chairman of the Supervisory Board to lead the company effective from 1 April 2025
• Nicola Brandolese becomes new Chairman of the Supervisory Board
• Restructuring and transformation that have begun will be consistently continued

Change of leadership at Mister Spex: At its meeting today (17 March), the company's Supervisory Board resolved to appoint Tobias Krauss as CEO of Mister Spex. He will take up his new role on 1 April 2025. Krauss has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2020 and has been Chairman of the Board since July 2024. He will resign from the Supervisory Board on 31 March 2025; it will be taken over by the current Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Nicola Brandolese. Tobias Krauss succeeds Stephan Schulz-Gohritz, who has taken over the CEO role on an interim basis since August 2024 in addition to his role as CFO. Schulz-Gohritz will remain CFO of Mister Spex.

Tobias Krauss comes from ABACON CAPITAL, where he has served as CEO since 2019 and was responsible for a portfolio of more than 50 investments. ABACON CAPITAL is one of the largest shareholders of Mister Spex. Krauss began his professional career at Porsche Consulting after studying economics at the Universities of Mannheim and Konstanz. This was followed by further positions, including as Chief Restructuring Officer at DAW, Germany's largest manufacturer and distributor of paints and coatings, and as CEO at the industrial holding company Possehl Mittelstandsbeteiligungen GmbH (PMB). During this time, Krauss developed a restructuring approach based on lean management principles.

Nicola Brandolese, the incoming Chairman of the Supervisory Board, stated: "We are delighted to have identified Tobias as the perfect leader for Mister Spex. With his extensive expertise as a turnaround manager, he will accelerate the company’s transformation, steering it toward sustainable growth and the success it is destined to achieve. The entire Supervisory Board extends its sincere gratitude to Stephan Schulz-Gohritz for his leadership in initiating and overseeing Mister Spex's transformation program over the past several months, laying the foundation for the company's future success."

"Mister Spex's potential is enormous – and I look forward to realizing it together with a great team and our loyal shareholders. In my previous role as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, I co-initiated the restructuring program and provided important impetus in terms of content. To pursue these impulses consistently as CEO and Chairman of the Management Board has appealed to me personally", says Tobias Krauss. "We will lead Mister Spex into a profitable future. This year we are creating the basis for this."

The "SpexFocus" program, launched in 2024, aims to sustainably increase profitability and ensure solid cash generation in the long term; to this end, the cost structure will be streamlined, the product portfolio optimized and the margin structure improved. As part of a systematic transformation, the restructuring seamlessly transitions into a continuous improvement process towards a lean and scalable organization.

About Mister Spex SE:

Mister Spex is one of Germany’s leading optical retailers, distinguished by its seamless integration of online and offline presence, innovative technologies, a comprehensive product range, and exceptional customer service. Since its founding in 2007, Mister Spex has evolved from a pure online player to a successful omnichannel optician with more than 8 million customers and 10 online shops across Europe, as well as brick-and-mortar retail stores. Mister Spex employs over 120 highly qualified opticians who ensure top-notch optical services in their stores. As a digital native, technology and innovation have always been central to the company’s development. Utilizing advanced technologies such as digital 2D-to-3D tools for frame adjustment and intelligent browsing functionalities, Mister Spex sets new standards in the optics industry, offering extraordinary value to its customers. Mister Spex focuses on making the eyewear purchasing experience unique, simple, transparent, and enjoyable, combining a wide and diverse range of high-quality products with extensive optical expertise and advice through customer service, its own stores, and an extensive network of partner opticians. 

Investor Relations

Irina Zhurba I Director Investor Relations I irina.zhurba@misterspex.de 

Press Contact:
Elina Vorobjeva I Head of Corporate Communication I Elina.Vorobjeva@misterspex.de

Mister Spex SE 

Hermann-Blankenstein-Strasse 24
D-10249 Berlin
Website: www.misterspex.de  
Corporate Website: https://corporate.misterspex.com

Disclaimer:

This publication contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the management of Mister Spex SE and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those described herein as a result of factors affecting Mister Spex, such as changes in general economic conditions and the competitive environment, capital market risks, foreign exchange rate fluctuations and competition from other companies, as well as changes in international and national laws and regulations, particularly with respect to tax laws and regulations. Mister Spex SE assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

This publication contains supplementary financial measures (not specifically identified in relevant accounting frameworks) that are, or may be, so-called alternative performance measures. For purposes of evaluating the financial condition and results of operations of Mister Spex, these supplemental financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to the financial measures presented in the consolidated financial statements and determined in accordance with relevant accounting frameworks. Other companies that present or report alternative performance measures with a similar title may calculate them differently. Explanations of financial ratios used can be found in the Annual Report 2023 of Mister Spex, which is available at https://ir.misterspex.com/.