Fielmann Group appoints Chief Operating Officer Peter Lothes to Management Board
Lothes is the first American on Fielmann Group’s Management Board; Demonstrates Company’s Commitment to Empower US Eyewear Customers

HAMBURG, GERMANY / DETROIT, MICHIGAN & GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, USA – February 14, 2025.

The Fielmann Group today announced that its Supervisory Board has appointed Peter Lothes as a Member of the Company’s Management Board, effective March 1, 2025. Lothes, who joined Fielmann as Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2023, and has led the Company’s Manufacturing and Logistics functions worldwide since then, will continue in this role under his new capacity.

As the COO of the Fielmann Group, Lothes is responsible for an international organization operating nine manufacturing facilities across three continents. He is supported by more than 1,400 colleagues working in Germany, China, Czechia, Poland, Spain and the US.

Lothes has over 30 years of industry experience, including several executive management positions as well as global businesses. As graduate of Ashland University, he joined his family’s optical business in Ohio (United States) as VP of Manufacturing in 1992. After the company’s sale to Essilor in 2004, he began a successful career as an international executive. Notably, as President & CEO of Satisloh (2018–2020), the world’s largest optical manufacturing equipment provider based out of Switzerland, he managed organizations in Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America. As SVP of Operations & Supply Chain at Essilor North America (2020–2022), Lothes was responsible for more than 100 optical manufacturing facilities in the US, Mexico and Canada. In 2022, Lothes joined Advancing Eyecare, the leading distributor of eyecare equipment in the US, as Global Chief Operating Officer before joining the Fielmann Group.

“With our Vision 2025 growth plan we expanded our family business internationally and grew rapidly. These efforts, combined with our differentiated vertical integration strategy, have positioned the Fielmann Group to offer exclusive products to customers worldwide at significantly lower prices. We are confident Peter’s leadership, and service on the Management Board, will see our manufacturing and supply chain deliver exceptional consistency in service, quality and costs globally,” said CEO Marc Fielmann.   

Hamburg, Germany – February 14, 2025

Fielmann Group AG
The Management Board

About Fielmann Group AG
The Fielmann Group is a German family business that serves 29 million customers with eyewear, contact lenses, hearing aids and primary eyecare services. It operates an omnichannel platform consisting of digital sales channels and more than 1,200 retail stores worldwide. Founded in 1972, the company is led by Marc Fielmann, representing the second generation of the Fielmann Family who still owns the majority of the company’s stock. By staying true to its customer-centric values, the Fielmann Group helps everyone hear and see the beauty in the world. Thanks to the dedication of its 24,000 people worldwide, the company is consistently reaching customer satisfaction and retention rates of more than 90% and has to-date fitted more than 200 million pairs of individual prescription glasses. 

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