Hervis Sport, one of the major Austrian sporting goods chains, with operations in various East European countries, appointed Werner Weber as its new chief executive on Nov. 1. Until June, Weber was chief executive of Leder & Schuh, the Austrian parent company of the Humanic and Shoe4You retail chains, with 201 retail outlets in Austria, Germany and various Eastern European countries. (Leder & Schuh has recently hired a sports-retail specialist, Michael Rumerstorfer, who comes from Signa Sports, for its executive board.) In his new position at Hervis Sport, Weber is working with Gerhard Fritsch and Roland Jegle, who became deputy managing directors on Nov. 1. Weber, 49, replaces Alfred Eichblatt, who stepped down as chief executive of Hervis Sport in mid-October. Eichblatt, 57, has been in the post since December 1997. Hervis' parent company, Spar, attributes Eichblatt's departure to a difference of opinion. Hervis' former marketing manager, Gerhard Bradler, left in July, and his responsibilities now rest with Gerhard Fritsch, who retains his duties as marketing manager of Spar while taking on those of deputy managing director at Hervis. Jegle is now responsible for coordinating purchasing at both Spar and Hervis. Marcus Wild was appointed as chairman of the supervisory board on Nov. 1. He remains chief executive of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, a subsidiary of Spar. The new appointments have taken place amid increasing competition, with the recent entry of XXL and Decathlon into the Austrian market. On Aug. 24, Hervis inaugurated its most modern store, which covers 1,400 square meters, is equipped with digital displays connected with its e-commerce site, and sits on the centrally located Mariahilfer Strasse in Vienna.

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