Lolaliza Acquired By Three Board Members Following Management Buyout

Belgian womenswear brand LolaLiza has been acquired by three members of its current management team. CEO Joachim Rubin, chief product and marketing officer Elodie Doret and chief commercial and operations officer Griet Sauvenay are taking over the shareholding from the founding Appelstein & Jeger family, who owned the company for 25 years.

According to a press release, the management buyout is part of a process that has been underway for several years. The three new shareholders have been part of the management team for approximately eight years. They were involved in the brand's strategic repositioning, which included an adjusted product range; changes in sourcing and production; and the expansion of international sales channels through wholesale and marketplaces.

From family business to shareholding

LolaLiza was founded by two brothers and their brother-in-law from the Appelstein and Jeger families. Under their leadership, the label grew into a Belgian fashion retailer with operations outside its home market. The transfer places the shareholding outside the founding family for the first time, although the management team that has determined policy in recent years will remain.

The company achieves a turnover of approximately 115 million euros and has around 500 employees, according to its own figures. Its retail network includes 90 branches in the Benelux and France. The brand also sells online through a revamped e-commerce platform and via international partners in more than 25 countries, the press release stated.

No strategic change of course

The company states that the management buyout will not change its strategic direction. In Belgium, LolaLiza aims to further expand its retail network and optimise its digital channels. Internationally, the focus will remain on an omnichannel model in collaboration with external partners.

The operation primarily marks a shift in shareholding and formalises the role of the current management in the brand's future development.