Michele Scalas appointed as New CEO of Athena Retail

Bologna, January 17, 2025 – Michele Scalas has been appointed as the new CEO of Athena Retail.
This decision marks a moment of renewal and excitement for the company, a partner in Category Management processes and part of the RELEX Solutions group since 2022.

Michele Scalas has a solid track record in helping both Italian and international retailers optimize Category Management. He joined Athena Retail in 2015 and has contributed to the company’s development by taking on increasing responsibilities, eventually becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2022. His appointment as CEO is a recognition of his skills and outstanding dedication.

I am honored to take on this new role,” said Michele Scalas. “Athena Retail is an internationally acclaimed, leading Italian company in the field of Category Management, and I am excited to contribute to its continued growth. I will dedicate all my passion and skills to serving the company and our customers.

Jarno Martikainen, VP Operations, EMEA South & APAC at RELEX Solutions, expressed his enthusiasm for the appointment:” We are confident that Michele is the right person to lead Athena Retail in this new phase. His deep knowledge of the company and the market, combined with his strategic vision, will enable us to further strengthen our position and offer our customers increasingly innovative solutions.”

Paolo Malucelli, Founder and outgoing CEO, will continue to collaborate with Athena Retail in the role of Principal Consultant. This will ensure a smooth transition and the continuity of the company’s core values, focused on creating value for retail businesses and consumers. Under his leadership, Athena Retail has achieved significant milestones, solidifying its position in the market.

Michele’s appointment is an important step for the future of Athena Retail,” commented Paolo Malucelli. “I am confident that his energy and talent will lead the company towards new success milestones. I wish Michele all the best in this new challenge.

For more information, please contact:

Martina Bolognesi
Marketing Manager
+39 051 0017 928
martina.bolognesi@athenaretail.com

About RELEX Solutions

RELEX Solutions provides a unified supply chain and retail planning platform that aligns and optimizes demand, merchandising, supply chain, operations, and production planning across the end-to-end value chain. We help retailers, manufacturers, and consumer goods companies like UNFI, ADUSA, AutoZone, Coles, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, M&S Food, PetSmart, and The Home Depot drive profitable growth across all sales and distribution channels, leading to higher product availability, increased sales, and improved sustainability.
Learn more at: relexsolutions.com

About Athena Retail

Athena Retail is an Italian company based in Bologna, with more than twenty years of experience in improving and integrating Category Management processes and solutions into the overall organization and IT environment of retailers and manufacturers in Europe and the Middle East.
Thanks to our clear analytical and prescriptive approach, we can address any customer need. From those who have just started approaching the discipline of Category Management to those who have already reached an advanced stage of the path and are following an integrated model that enables the optimization of assortments and the generation of planograms and floorplans for each store.
Besides having the most advanced tools on the market, Athena Retail’s driving force is undoubtedly the people behind it: several professionals from different departments work hard and collaborate every day to meet customers’ needs.
Learn more at: athenaretail.com