Leading into the future: Żabka Group CEO Tomasz Suchański prepares to turn over the reins to chief strategist Tomasz Blicharski

Leadership transition

Effective 1 January 2027, outgoing CEO Tomasz SuchaÅ„ski, after 10 years running the organization, will become Chairperson of the Board of Directors, as a non-executive director responsible for the activity of the Board, the Group’s highest governing body. Tomasz Blicharski will take on the position of Group Chief Executive Officer, and in this capacity will also preside over the Management Committee of Å»abka Group.

Tomasz SuchaÅ„ski brings over 30 years of retail experience to his new role as Chairperson of the Board of Directors, including more than 15 years as CEO of some of Poland’s largest retailers. His tenure at Å»abka has been defined by growth, digital transformation, and the expansion of the convenience store network across Poland and Romania. The engagement of employees has been noted in various surveys. He has received recognitions from the business community.

“Working under the Å»abka brand for over 10 years has been an exceptional experience,” said Å»abka Group CEO Tomasz SuchaÅ„ski. “I am proud of the modern and distinctive company we have built together. We have created an organization that is today an inspiration to businesses around the world, and above all a place where people want to work and grow.

In my career of over 30 years, and particularly during the past decade at Å»abka, I have had the privilege of meeting many outstanding individuals. I am delighted that one of those special people, Tomasz Blicharski, will be leading the Group. His expertise and experience represent an invaluable asset.”

New CEO background

Tomasz Blicharski, who will join the Board of Directors on 1 January 2027 as Group CEO and President of the Management Committee, is an experienced executive who has been associated with the Å»abka Group for over 15 years. During that time he was responsible for transformation of the group’s business model, development of new business segments, and creation of the digital convenience ecosystem. He was also responsible for developing the Value Creation Plan through 2028 and the group’s sustainability strategy.

In 2021–2024 he was Vice President of the Å»abka Polska Management Board and Managing Director at Å»abka Future. Before that, he concurrently held two roles at Å»abka Polska: Chief Financial Officer (from 2015) and Chief Development Officer (from 2017). In his current role of Group Chief Strategy & Development Officer, he is responsible for the Å»abka Group’s strategy, an invaluable experience for leading the group.

He also gained multifaceted experience in investment banking and at the private equity fund Mid Europa Partners, where he oversaw investments in Central & Eastern Europe. He holds degrees from Stanford University and SGH Warsaw School of Economics.

Future plans

The changes to the Group’s governance structure reflect a succession process involving leadership and the Board of Directors. The objective is to ensure continuity of leadership and stable growth. A handover of duties is planned by 1 January 2027.

Tomasz Blicharski commented: “Assuming the CEO role will mark a significant moment in my career at the Å»abka Group. Over the past 15 years I have co-led the transformation of a network of traditional brick-and-mortar stores into a nationwide convenience ecosystem driven by data, technology, and close collaboration with franchisees. We have set ourselves a clearly defined target by the end of 2028: a total of 16,000 stores across Poland and Romania, at an annual pace of opening more than 1,300 new locations, while maintaining strict capital deployment discipline and network profitability.

In the years ahead, we will focus on further scaling the business, improving the operational efficiency of existing locations, and developing the digital convenience ecosystem, so that we can even better respond to rapidly evolving customer needs and consistently build the group’s long-term value.”

At the 2026 Annual General Meeting of Żabka Group to approve the 2025 financial statements, Krzysztof Krawczyk will complete his term as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Żabka Group without seeking re-appointment. Krzysztof Aniola will join the Board as a non-executive director for a one-year term.

The Żabka Group operates in Poland and Romania and maintains its digital convenience ecosystem. The changes are designed to support the implementation of these objectives in the future.