Management Change At Elan Central Europe

Bernhard Leichtfried, who joined Elan Headquarters in September 2024 as Sales and Marketing Director, has now taken on the role of General Manager of Elan Central Europe, responsible for the business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

Bernhard brings a wealth of experience from key management positions in the sports and outdoor industry. At Sport 2000, he was Head of Purchasing & Sales Austria and Category Manager for Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy, managing international sales and marketing strategies. Prior to that, he played an important role at Fischer Sports GmbH, where he was responsible for the product, sales and marketing strategy for alpine ski boots. His expertise is further enhanced by a Global Executive MBA with a focus on strategic management and corporate entrepreneurship.

In his new role, Bernhard succeeds Marc Hasenstein, who is stepping down after eight successful years at Elan CE. Marc has been instrumental in driving Elan’s growth and strengthening the company's position in the Central European markets. To ensure a seamless transition, he will remain with the company for the next two months and will work closely with the team during this time. We are thankful to Marc for his commitment and contributions over the past years and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours. 

In addition to his role as General Manager of Elan CE, Bernhard will also be the Lead of the International Key Account Management Team. 

"I am excited to take on this new role and look forward to work with the exceptional team of Elan Central Europe on the growth of our Brand," Bernhard says. "We look forward to strengthening collaborations with our existing retail partners and to opening new doors with the best possible service level and delivering high-quality products to our retail partners."