Get to know Jan Brecht, Ahold Delhaize’s new CTO

October 7, 2025 – We are excited to share that Jan Brecht has officially kicked off his second week in his new role as CTO for Ahold Delhaize. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jan and learn more about his background, leadership style, and vision for technology in both food retail and Ahold Delhaize. With a career spanning continents and industries, from automotive to sportswear, Jan brings a unique blend of technical expertise, global perspective, and business insight.


Can you share more about your background and career? How you came to be a leader in technology?
I grew up in a small village south of Hanover, Germany, in a peaceful countryside environment. Studying electrical engineering in Karlsruhe, Germany, I joined a university program that allowed me to study in Paris and Southampton, which was quite rare back then. That experience sparked my interest in working internationally, which has shaped much of my career and leadership style. I think I am a rather curious person.


Your work has brought you to several countries and continents. Can you share something about your international experience and what you enjoy about having an international career?
What I enjoy most about having an international career is the exposure to different perspectives and cultures. I’ve lived and worked in Germany, the UK, France, the U.S., and Japan, and spent time in China, South Africa, and Brazil. Over the past 25–30 years, I have moved 13 times. 

Living in Japan was fascinating, it has such a respectful culture and amazing food. But it’s more effort when you don’t speak the language. Back in Europe, it’s easier. Still, I think it’s important to be mindful of cultural differences, even within Europe. The German and Dutch cultures are quite distinct.


What drew you to Ahold Delhaize?
What drew me to Ahold Delhaize are two things: Firstly, I’ve always enjoyed the retail aspect, whether at Mercedes, Nissan, or adidas. Secondly, food retail has an incredible treasure chest of data, billions of units sold annually, making even small subsets statistically relevant. 


Coming from the automotive industry, you bring a fresh perspective to Ahold Delhaize, what are some key opportunities or challenges in our business? 
Our great local brands are at the heart of Ahold Delhaize’s culture and are also our company’s strength. From a technology perspective, we need to prioritize and scale strategically, and we need to strengthen our internal skills and build a culture of excellence in how we design, build and deliver software. These are core questions we’re exploring together with the tech and business teams. Furthermore, the western car industry was disrupted by autonomous (AI based) electric cars. We need to understand how a technical disruption in food retail might look.


How do you think technology can change the food retail industry?
There are three angles to this question, and this goes for retail in general. Number one is, technology can straighten processes and lead to increased efficiency. The second angle is customer facing, where we use technology to improve how we engage with customers, and how we provide convenience – and omnichannel is obviously part of this. The third angle is the use of AI. Imagine an AI tool in the app of your grocer, that knows your preferences, knows what is already in your fridge and can suggest new products to create a meal. This would be an interesting benefit for our brands’ customers. If this were to happen, a digital platform of agents would insert itself in between the retailer and the customer. We would start doing marketing for AI agents.


When you look back on your career, what were some important lessons you learned? Do you have advice for current and aspiring leaders? 
My own leadership principle is “challenge and support.” I believe leaders should challenge their teams to stretch and achieve ambitious goals, while also supporting them as much as possible. That balance is crucial. As for advice? Stay curious. Curiosity drives learning and growth.