Metropol Immobiliengruppe has expanded its leadership team and appointed Christian Obladen as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This newly created position consolidates key responsibilities in finance, commercial management and digitalisation. The establishment of a CFO function at management board level represents a targeted strengthening of the financial, commercial and strategic corporate management of the Cologne-based company and serves to further develop its management structures for the upcoming phase of company growth.
Benjamin Wardemann, Managing Partner of Metropol Immobiliengruppe, commented that with the appointment of Christian Obladen as the first CFO, the management structures would be consistently further developed and additional conditions for long-term company growth would be created. He emphasised that Christian Obladen combines many years of CFO and real estate experience with a strong understanding of transformation, digitalisation and IT-related processes. The common goal is to increase transparency and management quality, while preserving Metropol's short decision-making paths and entrepreneurial speed.
Duties and Responsibilities of the New CFO Function
As CFO and Managing Director, Christian Obladen will be responsible for the financial and commercial management of the entire group of companies. Another focus of his work will be the closer integration of corporate, portfolio, property and project management. In this context, the finance department is to be increasingly positioned as a business partner for the management board and the operational business units.
Christian Obladen has 18 years of professional experience, of which approximately 15 years were spent in senior finance and management roles. These include positions as CFO, Group CFO, Chief Financial Officer and Commercial Managing Director. He has led national and international financial organisations and brings comprehensive knowledge in the fields of real estate, financing, digitalisation and transformation. Before joining Metropol, he served as CFO/COO on the board of BOB efficiency design AG, where he was responsible for the financial and operational management of the group, including its project, development and service companies.
Christian Obladen himself stated that Metropol combines entrepreneurial strength and long-term thinking with short decision-making paths and a clear perspective for further development. His ambition is to build on these strengths and work with the team to further develop commercial management – integrated, transparent, digital and close to the operational business. The finance department should not only provide figures, but also offer guidance and actively contribute to more informed business decisions. By implementing the CFO function, Metropol is creating further conditions to secure long-term financial strength, investment capacity, digitalisation and management quality, and to strategically further develop the group of companies.
