Press Release 10th November 2025

New Leadership Duo for PENNY Purchasing Austria: Alexander Kotulek and Christian Pichler Take Over Purchasing Management

After a longer vacancy in the leadership position, it was decided to restructure the purchasing department. Starting December 1, 2025, a new leadership duo will assume responsibility for purchasing at PENNY Austria: Alexander Kotulek will become Purchasing Director with a focus on Fresh Products, while Christian Pichler will primarily oversee the Dry Goods segment, including Near & Non-Food. Both will report directly to Johannes Greller, Managing Director of PENNY Austria.

A man with a beard and short hair is wearing a suit and standing confidently with a monitor earpiece in one ear. The background appears to be a blurred presentation screen.

Alexander Kotulek / Copyright: © REWE Group, Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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Alexander Kotulek (34) has been with the REWE Group since 2012 and brings extensive experience in Category Management. After roles as Junior Category Manager and Category Manager at PENNY, he took over team leadership in 2017 and was appointed Group Leader for the Fresh assortment in 2020. In this role, he was responsible for product groups such as meat, sausage, poultry, fish, convenience, dairy products, cheese, and eggs. His achievements include redesigning promotional management, building ultra-fresh logistics, and securing several years of market growth leadership in the fresh segment. Kotulek graduated from the Federal Commercial Academy Vienna 10 with a focus on Quality Management and combines long-standing leadership experience with strong analytical skills and pronounced negotiation strength.

Christian Pichler (51) has two decades of experience in international purchasing and Category Management. Since 2017, he has been with REWE International AG, most recently as Head of Purchasing & Category Management at BIPA and previously at BILLA. Earlier positions included SPAR AG, where he served as Managing Director of SIMPEX Import Export GmbH and International Purchasing Director Non-Food. Pichler has overseen international assortment strategies, developed numerous private labels, and managed global purchasing processes. He has completed various leadership and procurement training programs. With his entrepreneurial mindset and strong social skills, he ideally complements the leadership duo.

“With Alexander Kotulek and Christian Pichler, we are gaining two highly experienced and committed leaders for the management of our purchasing department. I am very much looking forward to working with both and am confident that their expertise and strategic vision will significantly contribute to the further development of our assortment and the strengthening of our market position,” says Johannes Greller, Managing Director of PENNY Austria.

We wish Alexander Kotulek and Christian Pichler great success in their new professional challenges!