Overview
- German media reported his death early this week, confirming the prominent retail executive was 80.
- Urban began at Kaufhof in 1973, became its CEO in 1995, then moved to lead the Metro group in 1996.
- In 2000 he took over a struggling Karstadt with a public pledge to triple results within three years, leaving the company in 2004 after the effort fell short.
- Germany’s legacy chains Kaufhof and Karstadt later went through repeated insolvencies before being merged under investor René Benko.
- He is survived by his partner, a decorated dressage Olympian, and their son.