Thilo Pomykala, CEO of Oettinger, has stepped down from his position just three and a half months after taking the helm. The departure, effective immediately, was announced on July 20 and is based on a mutual agreement following differing views on the future strategic direction of the company.
Oettinger, historically Germany's undisputed market leader in beer volume, built its past success on a strict low-price segment strategy, avoiding traditional advertising and delivering directly to retailers. However, the company has struggled with severe headwinds and continuous volume declines in recent years, falling far below its former peak output.
The swift exit leaves the management structure of the brewing group incomplete once again. Pomykala, 55, officially assumed the role on April 1, 2026, taking over from his predecessor Stefan Blaschak, who left the company earlier than planned (inside.beer, 2026-04-01). Pomykala had been responsible for marketing, sales, product development, and logistics, bringing extensive FMCG experience from his previous tenure at Hochwald Foods and other consumer brands.
Owner and majority shareholder Pia Kollmar, who had recently reassumed operational control over finance and strategy, expressed her regret over the development. In an official statement, she thanked the departing chief executive for his collaboration and the impulses he provided during his short tenure. The search for a successor has already been initiated. In the interim, Kollmar and managing director Dominika Steinberg, who oversees human resources, IT, production, and technical operations, will lead the company.
During the 2024 financial year, Oettinger's sales volume plummeted by 13.1 percent to 6.4 million hl, accompanied by a 9.5 percent drop in total revenue. Pomykala's primary task was intended to be reversing this downward trend and stabilizing the core business while exploring new avenues for growth, a turnaround effort that will now fall to the next executive appointee.
