Pxmart Co Ltd (全聯實業), which operates one of the nation’s largest supermarket chains, yesterday confirmed that company president Hsu Chung-jen (徐重仁) would retire in September.
Hsu — who has been in charge of Pxmart since 2014 — is to step down from the management team next month and officially retire by the end of September, the company said in a statement, citing personal career planning reasons.
Hsu, who has worked in the retail industry for more than 30 years, is also known for turning President Chain Store Corp (PCSC, 統一超商) into the nation’s largest convenience store chain operator, serving as its president prior to joining Pxmart.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Pxmart named CEO James Hsieh (謝健南) as president, saying he would lead its expansion plans.
Hsieh previously served as chief operating officer of PCSC and as CEO of Gourmet Master Co (美食達人), which operates popular cafe and bakery chain 85°C (85度C)
Hsu is stepping down because he and Pxmart chairman Lin Ming-hsiung (林敏雄) disagree about the company’s future plans, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News reported.
However, at a news conference yesterday, Hsieh denied the report, saying that Hsu had as early as last year decided to retire.
“The company’s long-term operations objective will not change, but we might take different measures [to achieve it],” Hsieh said.
Pxmart, which operates 910 outlets nationwide, said it aims to increase the number of its stores to 1,000 and boost annual sales from about NT$101 billion (US$3.33 billion) last year to more than NT$200 billion.
The company’s brand image has taken a beating since comments by Hsu about low salaries sparked a backlash among young people.
At a book launch in April, Hsu accused young people of “spending beyond their means on trips abroad and the latest mobile phones,” saying that the younger generation should endure low wages rather than complain.
He later apologized on Facebook after the company’s page was bombarded with irate messages from young people.
Pxmart last month apologized to film director Wu Nien-jen (吳念真), who complained on Facebook about the company’s use of his image in marketing materials without asking for his permission.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old