German retailer REWE moves CEO change forward to July

Lionel Souque will take over as chief executive of REWE on July 1, the German retailer said on Friday, moving forward a change that was scheduled for Jan. 1, 2019.

Outgoing CEO Alain Caparros had asked to leave on June 30 although his contract runs until the end of 2018, it said.

Souque is the current head of REWE's food business in Germany and was appointed as Caparros' successor in December.

Caparros, who has been REWE CEO since 2006, in January ruled out a move to France's Carrefour to replace Georges Plassat, whose term at the world's second largest retailer is scheduled to end in 2018.

A REWE spokeswoman on Friday reiterated that Caparros was not moving to Carrefour.