5 Questions for Martin Feller, CEO Ladenbau Schmidt AG

Family businesses are very unique. They often have a company tradition built up over generations, which is not infrequently complex, so the owner or proprietor shapes the company in a very individual way. Their succession is a personal challenge from many points of view, especially if there is no successor waiting in the wings who could carry on this tradition within the family. This was exactly the case with the owner-managed company Ladenbau Schmidt AG.

The CEO succession process is challenging, sometimes emotional, and therefore requires professional and very discreet support. Since 1982, Batterman Consulting has been supporting entrepreneurs who want to manage their succession. With his many years of expertise, André Batterman also advised the owner family of Ladenbau Schmidt AG. Within the framework of a management buy-out (MBO) accompanied by Batterman Consulting, Martin Feller took over the family business in mid-May 2022 from the Schmidt family, who had developed the company over 38 years with a lot of hard work and heart and soul into one of the market-leading Swiss store fitters. "André Batterman acted as a link to the sales force, especially in the initial phase, and established contacts with financing partners. With his experience, he helped to ensure that the transaction was completed efficiently and constructively in a period of only about five months. "The company thus has viable, long-term development prospects," says the new owner and CEO Martin Feller

The business economist with 18 years of professional experience as Managing Director / CEO headed companies of globally active companies such as Vitra or Husqvarna Group in the past. The change from a rather product-centric large company to a project-driven SME in July 2020 went smoothly. With his profound experience in management and restructuring, Martin Feller has familiarized himself with the industry and further developed the internal operations and structures to a modern, future-proof level.

What does it take to take over a family business like this? In addition to entrepreneurial core competencies, a high degree of responsibility and the awareness that the know-how of the employees, the customer relationships and the corporate culture are crucial for the successful continuation of the company. This is a challenge that Martin Feller has consciously decided to take on.

With the acquisition of the Shopfitting Schmidt AG Martin Feller now bears the main responsibility and leads an experienced team of around 85 employees that designs, plans and implements retail stores, catering establishments and spaces for trade and industry in Switzerland. Their shopfitting concepts incorporate findings from sales and behavioral psychology to create an atmosphere in which people feel comfortable with distinctive experiential spaces.

The next step is to focus on the further development of the corporate culture in order to continue the company's long success story over the next few years. For CEO Martin Feller, it was essential to place the employees at the center of this process and to initiate a 'development from within'. To this end, all employees were invited to workshops in mixed groups to develop guiding principles for various corporate values. The aim is to make collaboration across departmental boundaries uncomplicated, cooperative and efficient so that the challenging customer projects can be handled in the best possible way. We talked to the new CEO of Ladenbau Schmidt AG about his morning routine, his professional and private convictions and views. Learn more about Martin Feller in our interview.

Mr. Feller, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"I never had a specific dream job or career goal, but rather parameters that were important to me in my professional activities. In younger years, for example, an international context or a more generalist range of tasks. With this 'open mind', interesting professional stations have always arisen that have opened up new horizons for me. You only find out whether a leadership role is made for you when the time comes. Through the military and the Boy Scouts, however, I knew early on that I liked to lead."

What is your favorite way to start your day?
"I get up a little earlier to have time to read physical editions of newspapers and magazines. I'm more interested in background reports on current topics or developments than the short-lived daily news. I tend to follow these digitally."

What does success mean to you personally?
"For me, success means being able to do what interests and fulfills you, both professionally and privately. Of course, this is on a high level and not an absolute thing. You can either find the fly in the ointment or focus on positive aspects. Then everything comes easier - even the things you don't like to do."

What would you work for free for a week?
"I was involved in a sports club for many years as a board member. The multifaceted club culture in our country is a central pillar of our overall well-functioning society. In particular, it provides meaningful vessels for youth development and promotes social mixing."

What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"To always coordinate professional development well with the family environment. In my opinion, you can only do your job really well and successfully if you start from a solid base. In the personal environment, it's always give and take, but stability is very important in every respect. "

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Mr. Feller for his contribution to this article.
This interview was conducted by telephone.

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