Leading into the future: Żabka Group CEO Tomasz Suchański prepares to turn over the reins to chief strategist Tomasz Blicharski
Leading into the future: Żabka Group CEO Tomasz Suchański prepares to turn over the reins to chief strategist Tomasz Blicharski
Żabka Group has begun the process of CEO succession, scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027 subject to prior shareholders’ approval. In the planned transition, the current CEO, Tomasz Suchański, will head the Board of Directors. Tomasz Blicharski, currently Group Chief Strategy & Development Officer, will become the new Group CEO.
The succession plan ensures continuity of the Group’s established growth trajectory while reflecting the increasing importance of long-term strategy in day-to-day management. Tomasz Suchański and Tomasz Blicharski have worked together closely in the Group for over a decade. Thanks to the efforts of the current management, Żabka has transformed from a traditional chain of stores into a modern international enterprise operating across in-store and digital sales channels. Over the past 10 years, the store count has nearly tripled and sales have grown five-fold. Żabka Group has also become a public company, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since 2024.
Effective 1 January 2027, outgoing CEO Tomasz Suchański, 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 Żabka Group.
Tomasz Suchański 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 Żabka has been defined by strong growth, digital transformation, and the rapid expansion of the convenience store network across Poland and Romania. Under his leadership, the company has built a strong modern organization, repeatedly recognized as one of the best places to work, including in international ratings. The high level of employee engagement—confirmed for example in Gallup surveys—is a cornerstone of the Group’s success. Suchański has received numerous accolades from the business community, including the CEO of the Year award and recognition in Forbes magazine’s BrandMe CEO poll.
“Working under the Żabka brand for over 10 years has been an exceptional experience,” said Żabka Group CEO Tomasz Suchański. “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 Żabka, 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.”
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 Żabka 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 Żabka Polska Management Board and Managing Director at Żabka Future. Before that, he concurrently held two roles at Żabka 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 Żabka 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.
Strategic continuity, the foundation for Żabka Group’s growth
The initiated changes to the Group’s governance structure are the culmination of a careful, long-term succession process carried out since 2022 in collaboration with the entire leadership, including the Board of Directors of Żabka Group. The decision to begin this process at such an early stage reflects the Group’s sense of responsibility towards investors and the organization itself. The objective is to ensure continuity of leadership and the ongoing, stable growth of the organization. A smooth handover of duties will be carried out by 1 January 2027, ensuring uninterrupted execution of the Group’s long-term strategic objectives and supporting the delivery of its business targets.
Tomasz Blicharski’s profile and expertise
Tomasz Blicharski commented: “Assuming the CEO role will mark a significant moment in my career at the Żabka 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.”
Further changes in the Board of Directors, and growth outlook
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 continues to execute its growth strategy in Poland and Romania, focusing on network rollout, growth in like-for-like sales, and development of its digital convenience ecosystem, reinforcing its position as a leader of this segment in Europe. The changes are designed to support the effective delivery of these objectives in future stages of expansion.
