38 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
TRADE TALK THE EXPERT VIEWPOINT Dr Stefan Müller – Chief Executive Officer, expert SE outlines group sales performance Dr Stefan Müller Chief Executive Officer, expert SE WE EXPECT THIS YEAR’S <strong>IFA</strong> TO BE GROUNDBREAKING IN TERMS OF HOW OUR INDUSTRY WILL EVOLVE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS Despite a very competitive environment, the expert group once again recorded above average financial results and was able to consolidate its strong position in the German market. We asked Dr Stefan Müller – CEO, expert SE how expert is evolving within Germany, and what the key performance indicators are this year. In the financial year 2018/<strong>2019</strong>, our internal revenue reached €2,137m. In addition, our equity ratio, which is now 37.1%, remains at a very high level. This is proof of the expert group’s strength and, at the same time, an indicator for the great sales performance of our retailers. What’s new at <strong>IFA</strong>? We expect this year’s <strong>IFA</strong> to be groundbreaking in terms of how our industry will evolve within the next two or three years. Keywords such as artificial intelligence, 5G or streaming have been around for quite a while, but now we have reached a point where we will see if these new technologies are going to hold their promises and whether they will resonate with the consumers. These are really interesting questions, and we are more than excited to see how suppliers deal with both the technical challenges as well as consumer acceptance. You are long-time partners with <strong>IFA</strong>. Why so? <strong>IFA</strong> is an ideal platform to make new contacts, expand our network and gain fresh ideas. <strong>IFA</strong> is also very inspiring and influential – it has all the latest trends and innovations and sets the tone when it comes to assortment policy. As a retailer, visiting <strong>IFA</strong> is a must, because it is the perfect event to prepare for the upcoming Christmas business and beyond, as well as witnessing consumers’ reactions to the new products. Furthermore, we always enjoy our visit at <strong>IFA</strong>, because it gives us a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world and gain exciting insights into our industry from different angles. What are the key aims of the group on a national level for the next year or so? We will continue to further expand our customer services. Today, people are not just buying a product – they are searching for comprehensive solutions. This is exactly what we do at our expert stores and web stores: by adding extra services to the product, we increase the benefit for our customers. At the same time, we create new value chains that help us successfully meet the challenges of our industry. We also focus on is the continued consolidation of our relationship with business partners. Since trade is a people’s business, we want to strengthen the bonds of trust we have been establishing over the past 57 years. We are also looking forward to working even more closely with our suppliers, launching new and innovative marketing concepts and, as partners, shaping the future of our retail world expert has more than 4,000 stores in 21 countries, with total retail sales of more than €15bn (2018) in products including consumer electronics (TV, audio, etc.), mobile phones, IT products (desktops, notebooks, printers, software, accessories, etc.), as well as home appliances. www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Friday 6 th September <strong>2019</strong> 39