The Mall taps Oishi president

The Mall taps Oishi president

The Mall Group has recruited a professional from outside to take over in a bid to help its empire grow amid fiercer competition.

Matthew: Young blood to grow brand

Matthew Kichodhan, a former president of the Oishi Group, has joined The Mall Group as chief executive.

The move to bring in more professionals is a policy set by vice-chairman Supaluck Umpujh, who wanted to find successors for each business unit.

The company has several top executives in their late fifties.

Mr Matthew will be in charge of group business development. He has more than 20 years' experience with international companies, from Unilever Thai Holdings (consumer products), Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading, Gillette, Minor International (fashion), Thai Beverage and the Oishi Group.

Mr Matthew was behind the global music marketing campaign for Pepsi and the sponsorship deals for Chang beer with Barcelona Football Club and its arch rival Real Madrid.

Ms Supaluck has been looking for young blood as successors for the last four or five years.

Until now, almost 10 outside executives were recruited from an umbrella of industries including banking, electrical appliances, fashion and retail.

One example is Jakkrit Keeratichokchaikun, a former executive with Sony Thai, to sit as the company's senior vice-president and chief of merchandising, in charge of Power Mall, its electrical appliance store.

Voralak Tulaphorn, a former executive with Citigroup, is now senior vice-president for fashion merchandise.

Several executives from retail businesses were also recruited as strategic planners for human resources.

The Mall is still looking for more executives in some business areas, just as Ms Supaluck is looking for three or four executives to succeed her.

The company will put executives near retirement on the its advisory board.

The Mall Group operates eight department stores and shopping complexes including The Mall, The Emporium and Siam Paragon. It owns seven, while Paragon is a joint venture with Siam Piwat.

The company is also developing a shopping complex called M Quartier located opposite The Emporium on Sukhumvit Road. It is scheduled to open in October 2014.

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