Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has joined the supervisory board of Hyperglobus LLC, which operates the Russian Globus hypermarket chain. He will take part in the management and strategic development of the company’s business in Russia, a representative of the retailer told RBC.
Hyperglobus owner Thomas Bruch said Schröder was invited to join the board so that the company could draw on his many years of experience in Russia’s political and economic life. According to Bruch, the former chancellor will help the company maintain a “dialogue-oriented approach” and find constructive solutions under current conditions.
Globus remains one of the few foreign retailers that continued operating in Russia after the start of the war, RBC noted. Hyperglobus LLC now operates using its own funds, while it shares common shareholders and the brand with the German retail chain. Hyperglobus operates 22 stores across eight Russian regions.
Metro Cash & Carry, Auchan and Lemana PRO, formerly Leroy Merlin, also continue to operate in Russia. However, in September, Vladimir Putin signed decrees placing the Russian legal entities of these retailers under temporary administration.
After the start of the war, Schröder maintained his relationship with Putin and continued travelling to Russia. In July 2022, he met Putin in Moscow and said there could be no breakdown in their relationship.
In May 2026, Putin described Schröder as a “preferred” mediator in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, but European officials rejected the idea that Moscow should choose their representative. In June 2026, the Kremlin again reported that Putin had met Schröder but provided no details of their conversation.
