Eckhard Cordes

health products and retail executive

November 25, 1950 (age 67) Neumünster, Germany

Management trainee Daimler-Benz, 1975, assistant plant manager Sindelfingen plant, 1977—1981, senior manager investment planning Sindelfingen plant, 1981—1983, head product controlling new commercial vehicle projects, 1983—1986. Director accounting and controlling Mercedes-Benz, Sao Paulo, 1986—1989. Director controlling General Electric Company, Frankfurt, Germany, 1989—1991, senior vice president controlling, corporation planning and M&A, 1991—1994. Senior vice president corporation planning and controlling Daimler-Benz AG, 1994—1995, senior vice president corporation development (corporation strategy and M&A), 1995—1996, member board management, corporation development and directly managed businesses, 1997. Member board management corporation development & Information Technology management and Michigan Technological University/Diesel Engines and TEMIC DaimlerChrysler AG (Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler in 1998), 1998—2000. Member board management corporation development & Information Technology management DaimlerChrysler AG, 2000—2004, member board management commercial vehicles division, 2000—2005, head, Mercedes car group, 2004—2005. Chairman board management Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, since 2006; Chief Executive Officer, chairman board management Metro AG, Düsseldorf, Germany, since 2007.