Career Biography

Manuel Ritt-Huemer serves as Head of Legal and Compliance at REWE Group Austria, part of one of Europe’s leading retail and tourism groups headquartered in Cologne, Germany. In this role, he leads a multidisciplinary team of 14 legal and compliance professionals, overseeing all legal, regulatory, and integrity-related matters across the Austrian business.

With more than 15 years of legal experience, Manuel began his career as a corporate and M&A lawyer at a leading Central European law firm. During this time, he developed extensive expertise in managing complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions and advising on sophisticated cross-border projects across a wide range of industries. His practice also included drafting and negotiating a broad spectrum of commercial agreements and advising financial institutions on debt restructuring matters. He is widely recognised for his pragmatic approach, combining analytical acumen with a strong focus on commercially viable risk mitigation strategies.

At REWE Group Austria, Manuel is responsible for legal and compliance oversight across diverse business units, including supermarkets, drugstores, wholesale operations, and logistics. He is a trusted advisor to senior management and plays a central role in guiding strategic decision-making on legal and compliance matters. Under his leadership, the legal function delivers comprehensive support across complex projects, while also managing litigation, commercial contracting, and the defence of administrative proceedings.

Antitrust compliance forms a core pillar of his remit, encompassing training, advisory, communication, and monitoring activities. Beyond this, Manuel leads the organisation’s broader compliance framework, ensuring adherence to both internal policies and external regulatory requirements, while continuously advancing a modern, values-driven integrity management system.

Upon joining REWE Group, Manuel undertook a significant transformation of the legal and compliance function, introducing new organisational structures, streamlined processes, and clear governance and reporting standards. A key achievement has been building a resilient, forward-looking team capable of responding effectively to the evolving challenges of a dynamic retail environment while aligning closely with the company’s strategic objectives.

Manuel is particularly noted for his strong interpersonal and leadership skills. His ability to listen attentively and navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments enables him to deliver balanced, pragmatic, and often diplomatic solutions. He is recognised for guiding his team with consistency and composure through demanding and fast-paced business contexts.

Alongside his corporate responsibilities, Manuel maintains a strong academic interest in corporate law and has authored several publications and commentaries in the field. He also lectures at MCI Management Center Innsbruck, where he teaches Compliance & Governance, sharing his practical insights with the next generation of legal professionals.

Manuel holds a Doctor of Law (Dr. iur.) from the University of Vienna, as well as a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in International Business, both from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.