Korzinka CEO Rud Pedersen to Step Down After Three Years

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan’s largest supermarket chain, Korzinka, which operates over 170 stores, announced that Rud Pedersen will step down as CEO after three years to devote more time to his family.

In the interim, the company will be managed by First Deputy CEO Akmal Asadov, together with the senior management team, Chairman of the Board and Korzinka founder Zafar Hashimov, as well as the board of directors, while the search for a permanent CEO continues.

During Pedersen’s tenure, which began in August 2022 when he joined the chain as Chief Financial Officer, Korzinka achieved significant milestones: over 100 new stores were opened, a 49,000-square-meter Class A distribution center was launched, and US$110 million in new equity capital was raised. Pedersen became CEO in early 2024, with Akmal Asadov serving as his deputy.

Zafar Hashimov expressed gratitude to Pedersen for his contributions and emphasized that, despite the CEO’s departure, Korzinka will continue implementing its growth strategy and plans to expand the network to 1,000 stores by 2028.

Pedersen cited a desire to reduce international travel and spend more time with his family as the reason for leaving. He thanked the company’s management, board, and shareholders for their support and noted that the team had achieved a great deal over the past three years, preparing the company for further growth.

Prior to joining Korzinka, Rud Pedersen served as CFO of Russian retailer Lenta, led Carlsberg Eastern Europe operations across five CIS countries, and held senior positions at Cadbury, AstraZeneca, Levi Strauss, IC Group, and Deloitte. He holds a master’s degree in International Business and Corporate Law from Aarhus School of Business (Denmark) and completed an EMBA at the London Business School.