Gerhard Schröder visits Moscow Hyperglobus supermarket after joining supervisory board

Supermarket visit in Moscow

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder visited a Moscow branch of the Hyperglobus supermarket chain on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. The 82-year-old former Social Democratic politician toured the hypermarket on the western outskirts of the Russian capital alongside his wife, So-yeon Schröder-Kim. Footage broadcast by Russian television network RBC showed store employees welcoming the former chancellor with sustained applause as he walked through the retail floor. Hyperglobus confirmed the on-site visit shortly after the video was released.

I am very pleased to be here, to see this wonderful hypermarket, to see the results of your work and to meet you, my wonderful colleagues.

Retail background and remarks to staff

Schröder addressed the assembled retail workers in German during the visit, drawing a direct connection to his own early employment history. He noted that after finishing primary school, he completed an apprenticeship as a retail salesman, telling the employees that he considers himself a fellow colleague in the trade. He encouraged the staff to remain composed when dealing with difficult retail situations where shoppers demand more than employees can provide, urging them to steadfastly protect both their own interests and the interests of the business. In separate comments published by newspaper RBK on the preceding Friday, Schröder also defended the preservation of ongoing commercial links between Russia and Western countries.

It is exactly in these crisis times that these ties are especially important: they allow us to hear each other and look for ways forward.

Corporate restructuring and ownership

Hyperglobus operates as the Russian retail branch originally developed under Germany's Globus Holding, from which it was spun off in 2025. Although operating under the separate corporate entity Hyperglobus, the stores across Russia retain the original Globus brand on their storefronts. The Russian operation is owned by German entrepreneur Thomas Bruch, who previously served as managing director of the German Globus Group and belongs to the company's founding family. Bruch previously drew criticism in Germany when he and a group of German executives attended an economic forum in St. Petersburg in May 2026. The company's governance appointments take place as Russian state authorities increasingly seek to remove foreign corporate control over domestic commercial assets.

Commercial ties in Russia

Schröder officially assumed his position on the Hyperglobus supervisory board on 30 September 2026 to assist with the retail chain's strategic development. The appointment marks the latest in a series of Russian corporate roles for the former German leader, who served as chancellor from 1998 to 2005. During his chancellorship, Schröder established close personal relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, publicly describing him in 2004 as a flawless democrat. After leaving political office, Schröder joined the boards of Russian energy ventures, including the Gazprom-led Nord Stream pipeline project and state oil firm Rosneft. He stepped down from his role as Rosneft supervisory board chairman in May 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, following European Union warnings of potential sanctions.