Antje Kunkies to take up newly created position of Chief Human Resources Officer at Merkur Group

Merkur Group is creating a new executive function for human resources and appointing Antje Kunkies as its first Chief Human Resources Officer, beginning January 1, 2026, assigning her oversight of the company’s global workforce of about 15,000.

In this role, Kunkies will report directly to Executive Board Chairman Lars Felderhoff.

Kunkies will take on responsibility for group-wide HR strategy and the continuation of the Merkur Group’s “One HR” initiative. The project focuses on harmonising global HR processes and aligning structures across the organisation. The company stated that these efforts are intended to support long-term personnel development and improve organisational efficiency. Culture-related initiatives will also be part of her mandate.

"I am very pleased about the trust that has been placed in me. HR is a cornerstone of every successful company. Together with my colleagues, I would like to contribute to further strengthening the competitiveness of the Merkur Group and actively shaping its future development," she said.

Kunkies is a lawyer with extensive experience in human resources functions in multinational organisations. She joined the Claas Group in 2016 and most recently served as Senior Vice President with global HR responsibility for the Self Propelled Harvester business unit, including oversight of the company’s production sites worldwide. Before Claas, she held several management positions at DMG Mori Group.

“We are delighted to have Ms Kunkies on board for this key management role,” said Felderhoff. “In her previous positions, she has demonstrated her ability to strategically develop HR organisations within international companies and successfully shape them in transformation processes.”