BarthHaas: Change at the top

Hop specialist BarthHaas is about to undergo a change in management: Stephan Barth, who has led the company as one of the managing partners since 1992, intends to retire from operational responsibility somewhat earlier than planned and will leave the management of BarthHaas GmbH & Co. KG as of July 31, 2021. The 60-year-old fell seriously ill with Covid-19 this spring and has not yet fully recovered. "I will recover completely, but during my illness I came to the conclusion to accelerate a process that would have taken place in the next few years anyway."

Until now, Stephan Barth managed the BarthHaas Group together with his brother Alexander Barth (57) and his cousin Regine Barth (50). In the future, Regine Barth will be responsible for the European and Asian markets and will manage the operational business from the top together with the executives of the management board. This is the first time in the company's 227-year history that a woman has been the sole managing director of BarthHaas GmbH & Co. KG (formerly Joh. Barth & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG). At the same time, BarthHaas GmbH & CO. KG is looking for a replacement for Stephan Barth in order to maintain the proven dual leadership in the management. Alexander Barth continues to head the American sister company John I. Haas, Washington D.C.

Stephan Barth will continue to contribute to the company after his departure from the Management Board. To this end, a Supervisory Board is to be established in fiscal year 2021/22 which, in addition to its statutory supervisory and control function, will also support the company in an advisory capacity. The members will initially be Stephan Barth, Alexander Barth and two external Supervisory Board members.

"In my new role on the Supervisory Board, I will be able to make a strategic and visionary contribution in the future, acting as a brand ambassador - as I have done in the past, but without operational responsibility," says Stephan Barth, explaining the plans. He also wants to introduce the next generation to the management of the family business.His children and those of his brother and cousin are still too young today to take on management tasks in the near future.