Dr. Günther Helm is the Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim – Retail, tasked with delivering the company’s growth aspirations for its grocery retail business. This includes the expansion of its discount retail operations, identifying new opportunities for growth, strengthening and expanding its private brand offering, accelerating its omnichannel prowess and investing in development areas that support the long-term sustainable growth of the business.
Günther brings more than two decades of retail sector experience, underpinned by a consistent drive to innovate and evolve both customer and employee experiences across the organisations he had led. He had led large-scale revitalisation programmes that have fostered industry-first innovations, created high performance cultures, and transformed mature organisations to become more efficient and customer focused.
Prior to a stint as CEO of Cenomi Retail in Saudi Arabia, Günther was CEO of Müller Holding, Germany’s largest multicategory retailer, where he oversaw operations in 850 stores across 7 countries and led a workforce of more than 35,000 colleagues. Under his leadership, Müller Holding underwent a transformation journey resulting in a notable increase in revenues exceeding EUR 5 billion and doubling EBIT within two years. Prior, he held leadership positions in Hofer KG and ALDI South for 16 years, including CEO of ALDI South Group.
Günther is a recipient of a Grand Golden Cross of Merit of the Republic of Austria for Sustainability and was deputy chairman of the supervisory board of the Austrian state-owned investment portfolio company, ÖBAG.
Günther holds both a Doctorate and a Degree in Law from the Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria.