Crate and Barrel CEO Turf resigns

Barbara Turf, CEO and president of Northbrook-based Crate and Barrel, a member of the Otto Group, said she will retire effective Spring 2012.

The company said Chief Operating Officer Sascha Bopp will take over as CEO and Marta Calle, currently director of CB2, will become president in charge of merchandising and marketing, effective April 2012. Calle will report to Bopp, the company said in a release.

“Thanks in large measure to Barbara Turf's leadership as CEO and president, Crate and Barrel is well-positioned to extend our reach as a global home furnishing brand and design leader,” said Hans-Otto Schrader, CEO of the Otto Group,

Timm Homann, chairman of Crate and Barrel, said the transition will maintain the company's position as a “respected and well-loved brand for nearly 50 years.

“Sascha's global perspective, strong business background and deep commitment to Crate and Barrel make him the ideal leader to take us into the future,” said Homann. “Marta is a visionary merchant and leader. With their combined talents and shared passion for our brands, Sascha and Marta are a well-matched team, primed to drive growth and innovation in every aspect of our business.”

Prior to joining Crate and Barrel in 2009, Bopp was managing director and chief financial officer at Primondo GmbH, a $6 billion German multichannel retailer. He also served as CEO of Primondo's Specialty Group division.

With more than 20 years of retail experience as a buyer and product developer, Calle joined Crate and Barrel in 2000 as a product development consultant. In 2004, she took on the leadership of CB2, and was named director in 2008. Since taking the helm at CB2, Calle has grown the brand into a multichannel business across the United States.

In her more than 40 years with Crate and Barrel, Turf has played an integral role in the growth and success of the company. She was named president in 1996 and CEO in 2008. During her tenure, Turf personally spearheaded the launch of the company's CB2 brand in 2000 and introduced children's retailer, The Land of Nod, to the Crate and Barrel family of brands in 2001.