Matthew Barnes_0001

Source: Aldi

After five years of commuting weekly to Salzburg, Barnes has decided to reside full-time with his family in the UK 

Former Aldi UK & Ireland CEO Matthew Barnes is to step down from his role as co-speaker of the executive board of the discounter’s parent company, Aldi Süd.

Barnes was Aldi’s UK & Ireland CEO from 2015 until 2018, when he was promoted to a top table role at the parent company. He oversaw a transformation of Aldi in the UK and is credited with reinventing the discounter format.

The retailer said today that after five years of commuting weekly from his home in the UK to Salzburg, Barnes, 49, had decided to reside full-time with his family in the UK and would resign as of 1 February

“Matthew has been with the Aldi Group since 1997 and significantly contributed to the company’s development on various management positions, particularly with the successful repositioning of Aldi South in the UK,” the company said.

“Matthew’s current responsibilities will initially be assumed by his speaker colleague, Thomas Ziegler, 55, who has been on the executive board since 2015.

“We would like to thank Matthew for his 26 years of loyal and dedicated service and acknowledge the extraordinary contribution he has made to the success of Aldi South. We would like to wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”