Former Lidl Finland CCO joins Fressnapf as Chief Product Officer

Fressnapf has named Mikko Forsström as Chief Product Officer (CPO), effective 1 May 2026.
The appointment forms part of the group’s efforts to further develop its Product Offer department and strengthen operational leadership across the business.

The Germany-based pet retailer says Forsström will oversee key development areas, including category development, to enhance the assortment offered to pet owners.

Professional background

Mikko Forsström brings more than 2 decades of experience in food and mass-market retail.

Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at shopping malls operator Majid Al Futtaim in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he led commercial strategy across the company’s retail operations.

The company operates 29 malls, as well as more than 390 Carrefour stores. In H1 2025, the Dubai-based firm posted AED 17.3 billion ($4.7 billion) in revenue.

Prior to that role, Forsström spent more than 5 years as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at German discount supermarket chain Lidl in Finland. From 2017 to 2019, he served as the Board Member for Buying and Marketing (CCO) at Lidl in Denmark.

He also worked at Swiss retail alliance European Marketing Distribution (EMD) as Director of Private Label Projects, where he led initiatives involving several major European retail groups.

A strategic profile

According to the company, Forsström combines “clear strategic thinking, strong operational execution and broad intercultural leadership experience.”

“We are delighted to welcome Mikko Forsström, an internationally experienced and strategically strong CPO,” says Fressnapf CEO Matt Simister.

Simister believes that with his expertise and focus on customer value and assortment excellence, he will “significantly shape the further development” of the company’s Product Offer department.

More leadership changes

As part of the leadership reshuffle, Kathrin Keunecke will permanently assume the role of Vice President, Supply Chain Management, within the Operations department, after several months serving as interim CPO.

She will assume responsibility for implementing the company’s strategically important Relex system and further developing supply chain processes across the group.

To support the transition, Simister will temporarily oversee the Product Offer department until Forsström joins.

Earlier in 2026, the Krefeld-headquartered corporation announced new executive appointments for its Central, Eastern and Western European markets as part of efforts to strengthen regional management and operational performance.