Margaret is an experienced retail and business leader who joined Ahold Delhaize in 2015 as Chief Marketing Officer of bol, the company’s online retail platform in the Netherlands and Belgium. She currently serves as Brand President of Ahold Delhaize’s Dutch brands Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall. Before that, she was Brand President of bol from 2021 and has been part of the Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia leadership team since that time. Earlier in her career, Margaret built broad international experience through roles at Bain & Company, Nike and BCG. 

Originally from Australia, Margaret has double (Australian/Dutch) nationality and has lived and worked in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, France, Central Eastern Europe and the Netherlands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Systems (Business and IT) from Monash University and an MBA from INSEAD. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Hero Group. 

Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize, said: “We are pleased to nominate Margaret as CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and member of the Management Board. As Brand President of Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall, and previously in her role at bol, she has consistently demonstrated the ability to connect Group strategy with the strengths of Ahold Delhaize’s local brands. We are confident that Margaret’s leadership will further strengthen Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and support the continued execution of our Growing Together strategy.” 

Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, added: “Margaret brings strong operational leadership, broad experience across our European businesses and a clear understanding of what makes our great local brands successful. During her time at Ahold Delhaize, she has built a strong track record leading customer-focused, purpose-led businesses. She combines operational discipline with digital and AI-enabled acceleration, adjacent business development, sustainability, diversity & inclusion, and long-term value creation. I would also like to thank Claude Sarrailh for his leadership and contributions to Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia. I am confident that, together with her colleagues across the region, Margaret will continue to deliver on our Growing Together strategy for customers, associates and shareholders.” 

Margaret stated: “I am honored by the nomination to serve as CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia. Ahold Delhaize’s local brands have strong positions in their markets and deep roots in the communities they serve. I would like to thank Claude Sarrailh for his mentorship. He has been of great value to Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and I will be building on the foundations he has laid. I look forward to working with my colleagues and their teams across Europe and Indonesia to build a stronger, more connected European platform, while continuing to unlock the unique strengths of our great local brands. Together, we will further enhance the customer experience, accelerate omnichannel growth and continue delivering sustainable value for customers, associates and shareholders.” 

To ensure a smooth transition, Margaret and Claude Sarrailh, currently CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, will work closely together during September ahead of Claude’s departure at the end of that month. Ahold Delhaize has initiated succession planning for Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall and will share more information at a later date. Until such time, Margaret will retain overall accountability for the Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall&Gall brands, supported by strong existing leadership teams.
 

On 24 June 2015, Ahold and Delhaize Group announced their intention to merge. Just over a year later, Ahold Delhaize was born, bringing together two great companies with deep roots in local communities and a shared ambition to serve customers in the best possible way by building a stronger, more innovative food retail group.

Since then, the company has navigated a decade marked by unprecedented change, from a global pandemic and inflationary pressures to rapid advances in technology and evolving customer and stakeholder expectations. Throughout these often-challenging times, associates at Ahold Delhaize and its brands remained focused on what matters most: serving customers, supporting communities, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable food system and creating value for all stakeholders.

A family of local brands
What began as one of the world’s largest cross-border mergers in food retail has evolved into a company that combines local customer relevance with international scale, shared expertise and leading omnichannel capabilities. Today, Ahold Delhaize is a family of 17 local brands across the United States, Europe and Indonesia that employs 384,000 associates. It serves 77 million customers weekly, both online and in more than 9,500 stores, holds a number 1 or 2 position in all the markets in which it operates, and it has created substantial and sustainable value for shareholders.

Frans Muller, President & CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “When Ahold and Delhaize Group came together, we believed local brands would be stronger when supported by international scale. Ten years later, that belief has proven right. Our brands remain deeply connected to the customers and communities they serve, while benefiting from our scale, shared expertise, technology and innovation. Combined with the dedication of our associates, that is our secret sauce. It has enabled us to grow, adapt and create value over the past decade, and it gives me great confidence for the future.”

Ready for the future
Looking forward, food retail will continue to be shaped by technological innovation, greater personalization, continued growth in omnichannel shopping, and further increasing demand for affordable, healthier and more sustainable food choices. Ahold Delhaize’s model of strong local brands, supported by scale, innovation and high-quality own brand assortments, positions us well to navigate those changes. And the Growing Together strategy, started in 2025 with a four-year timespan, enables us to continue to build on those strengths.

Jolanda Poots-Bijl, CFO of Ahold Delhaize, said: "The next decade of food retail will bring profound change, and we are well positioned to seize the opportunities ahead. Our strong foundation is built on a relentless focus on customers, trusted local brands, talented associates, deep customer relationships and leading capabilities in digital and technology. By leveraging these strengths at scale, while remaining committed to affordability, health and sustainability, we will continue to create lasting value for all our stakeholders."

Today's gong ceremony marks the start of a new chapter. Ahold Delhaize is ready for its second decade.

Claire is an experienced retail leader with three decades of expertise in grocery, consumer and retail businesses across international markets. Most recently, she served as Vice President for Worldwide Fresh at Amazon, where she had responsibility for the North American and international business. Prior to that, she held executive positions at Woolworths Group in Australia and held several leadership roles at Tesco, both in the United Kingdom and as Chief Operating Officer for Tesco in Thailand. Throughout her 30-year career in retail, she led large businesses across food, wholesale and e-commerce.

Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “Claire brings strong operational leadership and deep experience in omnichannel grocery and business transformation. She has led businesses of significant scale across several markets, with full accountability for performance, customer proposition and execution. Her combination of strategic insight, customer focus and people-first leadership makes her very well positioned to lead Ahold Delhaize USA into its next chapter. I look forward to welcoming Claire to the team and working closely with her as we continue to build on the exceptional leadership strength of our brands in the U.S.”  

Claire’s experience spans four continents and she is well known for building high-performing teams, driving technology transformation and delivering market share growth by growing customer trust. In addition to her executive experience, she has held a series of non-executive board positions in food retail. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Economics from the University of Loughborough.  

Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize, said: “We are pleased to nominate Claire as CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA and member of the Management Board. Claire is a highly accomplished retail leader with deep operational and digital expertise, broad experience across grocery and consumer businesses, and a strong record of delivering results in complex environments. She has led large, customer-focused organizations through transformation while building cultures of clarity, trust and accountability. We are confident that Claire’s leadership will further strengthen Ahold Delhaize USA and support the continued execution of our Growing Together strategy.”  

Claire said: “I am honored by the nomination to serve as CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA. Ahold Delhaize’s family of local brands combines strong heritage, deep community roots and a clear commitment to serving customers with excellence every day. I look forward to working with teams across the U.S. businesses to build on that strength, further enhance the customer experience, accelerate omnichannel growth, grow own-brand assortment, and continue delivering sustainable value for customers, associates and shareholders.”  

- Ends -

On March 24, 2026, Ahold Delhaize announced the departure of JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA: Ahold Delhaize announces that JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, will leave Ahold Delhaize at the end of June 2026

Claude was appointed CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia in 2024, joining the company from Metro where he served as a member of the Management Board and held the position of Chief Customer and Merchandise Officer at Metro Group in Dusseldorf, Germany. During his tenure at Ahold Delhaize, he has played an important role in strengthening the European leadership team, improving business performance, advancing own-brand strategies and joint sourcing. 

“I want to thank Claude for his contribution to Ahold Delhaize, and I have confidence in our leadership team to continue delivering our strategy,” said Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize. “Claude has been a valued colleague and leader, with a keen eye for leveraging scale across the company, including such areas as sourcing and digital, while fostering collaboration across markets. We appreciate his perspective in our Management Board discussions and wish him well for the future.” 

"After a rewarding time with Ahold Delhaize I have decided to accept a new opportunity outside the company,” said Claude. “From the first day onwards I have been impressed by the exceptional drive, the talent and the full dedication of all the Ahold Delhaize teams that I have had the privilege to work with. I am proud of the strong results we have delivered and the progress we have made to better leverage our Group scale in support of our great local brands and their customers. I leave with great respect for the company and full confidence in its future. Until my departure, my focus remains on the implementation of our strategy while working towards a seamless transition."  

“I am grateful for the leadership and contribution Claude has brought to Ahold Delhaize during his time with the company,” said Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize. “Claude is a highly regarded leader, and we appreciate his commitment to remain fully engaged to support an orderly transition. On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank him for his dedication and wish him success in his next role.” 

The Supervisory Board has initiated the succession process and will provide updates as appropriate.

Wouter joined Ahold Delhaize in 2008 as a trainee at Albert Heijn, and has held various sourcing, innovation and merchandising roles since then. Between 2019 and 2023 he was COO at Indonesian Brand Super Indo, before returning to Albert Heijn in his current role as Unit Manager Non-Perishables & Beverages. 

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia commented:  "I am pleased to welcome Wouter as Brand President of Gall & Gall. He brings a broad background of expertise, developed through his various commercial roles within the organization, complemented by international operational experience as COO of Super Indo in Indonesia. He has deep expertise in large, fast-moving categories and is recognized as an entrepreneurial leader who challenges teams to raise the bar. Wouter combines this strong commercial instinct with the ability to translate strategy into concrete choices and results. I would also like to thank Nienke for the strong repositioning of the brand over the past years. Together with the team, Wouter will build on this basis for further growth.”  

At the announcement, Wouter said: “I am honored to be appointed Brand President of Gall & Gall. Over the past 18 years, I have had the opportunity to work within Ahold Delhaize in various roles for different brands. Gall & Gall is a strong brand with a rich history, operating in a market that is constantly evolving. This dynamic time brings new challenges and opportunities, and therefore calls for innovation. Driven by my passion for retail, I look forward to adding a new chapter to the story of Gall & Gall together with more than 1,700 colleagues.” 

Creating value every day

During his speech, Ahold Delhaize CEO Frans Muller commemorated ten years since the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group, before turning to the world today: “The current times show how quickly certainties can shift. Globally, there are many conflicts and wars. Across our markets, we see increasing polarization. Especially in uncertain times, local connection is not a side topic - it is at the core of what we do. Our brands have been part of neighborhoods for decades. And in these times, that is exactly where people look for stability: in what is familiar, in what is close. That requires a clear focus from us. Our primary task is to ensure that people can count on our brands for high quality, affordable, and healthy products. And when I think about what truly makes us successful, it lies in the conviction that we work hard every day for our customers, colleagues and the communities of which we are a part. That is embedded in the DNA and in the purpose of this company.” 

“During the year, many customers continued to keep a close eye on their spending. That is why we invested even more in personalized offers and price investments. We made online shopping more accessible and ensured an even better customer experience. Our progress around ‘Healthy communities & Planet’ was visible in 2025 through meaningful actions at our brands and through measurable, external recognition for our Group. In technology, there is a major role for innovation. AI now touches every layer of our operations, including our stores.” 

“You can expect us to deliver again in 2026, with the same long-term focus. We will continue to invest in customer value: strong price-quality, better customer experiences and even more reliable own-brand products, to strengthen loyalty and engagement. We will continue to grow in our markets, to invest in data and technology so we can work even smarter, and to manage our cost savings programs and cash flow tightly. And we will continue to build 'Healthy communities & Planet', as part of our strategy.” 
 

Reappointment to the Management Board

Shareholders approved the Supervisory Board proposal to reappoint Jolanda Poots-Bijl as member of the Management Board for a term of four years during today’s AGM. Following this approval, the Supervisory Board reappointed Jolanda and designated her as Chief Financial Officer. 

Upon the reappointment, Jolanda added: “It is a privilege to serve as CFO of this great company, working alongside our colleagues across brands and support functions to deliver healthier, affordable food to our customers every day, while building a strong platform for continued growth and sustainable, long-term value creation. I look forward to continuing on this journey for a second term.” 

Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board, stated: “As CFO, Jolanda has consistently demonstrated strong financial leadership in support of Ahold Delhaize’s strategic goals, she has built strong teams within the Finance function, while keeping customers and associates top of mind. We are very pleased with Jolanda’s reappointment.”
 

(Re)appointments to the Supervisory Board

Shareholders approved the reappointment of Pauline van der Meer Mohr as member of the Supervisory Board. Pauline also serves as the Chair of the Remuneration Committee.

Shareholders also approved the appointment of Neela Montgomery as a new member of the Supervisory Board. Neela is a British national, a seasoned global CEO who has held senior leadership roles in technology, retail and healthcare. She is recognized as an expert in digital transformation and omnichannel retail. Most recently she served as CEO of Orveon Global, a multi-brand beauty company and previously led CVS Pharmacy during the COVID period. Neela started her career at Tesco where she served in various roles across merchandising, e-commerce and strategy over 12 years. She currently holds non executive board positions at, amongst others, Logitech and Kibo. 

Upon these announcements, Wiebe Draijer commented: “We are pleased with the reappointment of Pauline and delighted to welcome Neela to the Supervisory Board. Neela brings extensive experience as an executive leading digital transformation and accelerating digital innovations which is a valuable addition to the Supervisory Board.” 

For more information about Ahold Delhaize’s 2026 AGM, see here.

JJ has spent his entire 36-year career in grocery retail in Ahold Delhaize companies, including Food Lion, our largest U.S. brand. Throughout his service with the company, he has held a diverse array of executive leadership roles, covering strategy, commercial, digital, retail operations, marketing and merchandising. As the leader of Peapod Digital Labs, JJ was instrumental in laying the foundations of the omnichannel model that continues to drive the company’s success. He was appointed CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA and member of the Ahold Delhaize Management Board at the company’s 2023 shareholder meeting.

“I am grateful for the strong omnichannel foundation JJ has helped build, and I have full confidence in our U.S. leadership team to continue executing our Growing Together strategy,” said Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize. “JJ’s strength in bringing teams together, developing a ‘winning together’ culture, combined with his ability to recognize talent and personal leadership will leave a lasting legacy in our company. We have appreciated JJ’s vision and business insights as part of our Management Board conversations and wish him success in his future endeavors.”

“Over the past 36 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside extraordinary teams across the companies of Ahold Delhaize, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together for our customers and communities,” said JJ. “As I look ahead to a new chapter, I’m grateful for the associates who bring our brands to life every day, and I’m committed to supporting a smooth transition.”

“On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank JJ for his dedicated leadership and the progress made across our U.S. businesses,” added Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize. “We are committed to an orderly transition and to ensuring continued focus on the execution of our Growing Together strategy, serving our customers and communities in the markets our brands operate in.”

The company will provide updates on the succession process as appropriate.

Stephane joins from TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt, where he currently serves as CFO for Egypt. He has held senior leadership roles across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including CEO of SPAR international in the United Arab Emirates, President Director of PT Hero Supermarket Tbk in Indonesia, and CEO of Carrefour Malaysia & Singapore. He began his career with the Carrefour Group, where he spent 23 years in multiple leadership roles.

Upon the appointment, Stephane said: “I am honored to join Super Indo as Brand President and excited to contribute to the next chapter of its growth in Indonesia. I firmly believe that one of the key strengths of food retail lies in proximity. Super Indo has a strong purpose, a trusted brand, and a deep commitment to serving communities across the country. I am proud to join the team, partners and customers, and I look forward to building on this incredible legacy, accelerating our omnichannel development, and continuing to drive sustainable growth for the future, always with our customers at the center of everything we do.”

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia added: “We are delighted to welcome Stephane to Ahold Delhaize and Super Indo. Over the course of his career, he has built a strong track record of leading complex omnichannel retail operations, driving business transformation, and delivering strong commercial and organizational results across diverse markets. His deep understanding of the Indonesian retail landscape and his commitment to people first leadership make him exceptionally well-suited to guide Super Indo into its next phase. I would also like to sincerely thank Boudewijn for his valuable contributions during his tenure; his people-oriented leadership has played an important role in strengthening the brand and setting a solid foundation for the future while increasing speed and growth in a challenging time in this market.”

Boudewijn originally joined Ahold Delhaize in 2001, holding multiple leadership roles across operations and commerce. After working for Unilever, Hema and Boost between 2008 and 2018, he returned as VP Commerce at Etos. Before becoming Brand President of Super Indo in 2023, he served as VP Operations at that brand.

Boudewijn commented: “It has been a true privilege to lead Super Indo and to work with such dedicated and passionate teams across Indonesia. I am proud of what we have accomplished together. We deepened our commitment to our customers and the communities we serve. As I step into my next chapter, I want to thank all colleagues and partners for their trust and collaboration. I am confident that under Stephane’s leadership, Super Indo will continue to grow, innovate, and thrive.”

Neela is a British national, a seasoned global CEO who has held senior leadership roles in technology, retail and healthcare. She is recognized as an expert in digital transformation and omnichannel retail. Most recently she served as CEO of Orveon Global, a multi-brand beauty company and previously led CVS Pharmacy during the COVID period. She also led Crate & Barrel as CEO and Executive Chairwoman between 2014-2020 transforming it into a modern retail leader in home furnishings. Neela started her career at Tesco where she served in various roles across merchandising, e-commerce and strategy over 12 years. She currently holds non-executive board positions at amongst others Logitech and Kibo.  

Pauline van der Meer Mohr is a Dutch national and has been on the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize since April 13, 2022. Pauline serves as the Chair of the Remuneration Committee. She is also a member of the Health & Sustainability Committee.  

Furthermore, the company announces that Laura Miller will be stepping down from its Supervisory Board as per the end of the AGM on April 8, 2026.  

Upon these announcements, Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board, commented: “My sincere thanks to Laura Miller for serving on Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board. We have very much benefited from her insights as the Chair of our Technology Committee as well as appreciated her insightful contributions to our board discussions on various topics. I am pleased to welcome Neela to the Supervisory Board. She brings extensive experience as an executive leading digital transformation and accelerating digital innovations which are a valuable addition to the Supervisory Board. I fully support Pauline’s nomination for another term, ensuring the continuity in knowledge and quality of the Supervisory Board as we value her contributions.  

More information can be found in the agenda and explanatory notes of Ahold Delhaize’s 2026 AGM, which will be published on February 25, 2026. 

The Supervisory Board recommends reappointing Jolanda for a four-year term, recognizing her strong and successful leadership in delivering the company’s Growing Together strategy and strengthening organizational performance.

The Supervisory Board recommends Jolanda’s reappointment one year in advance of the end of her current appointment term, to reinforce leadership continuity and maintain a balanced (re)appointment cycle of the Management Board. Advancing the timing promotes stable and effective governance.

Wiebe Draijer, Chair of the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board, stated: “We are delighted to recommend Jolanda’s reappointment a year ahead of the conclusion of her current term. As CFO, she has consistently demonstrated strong financial leadership in support of Ahold Delhaize’s strategic goals, she has built strong teams within the Finance function, while keeping customers and associates top of mind.”

Upon the announcement, Jolanda added: “It is a privilege to serve as CFO of this great company, working alongside our colleagues across brands and support functions to deliver healthier, affordable food to our customers every day, while building a strong platform for continued growth and sustainable, long-term value creation. I look forward to continuing on this journey for a second term.”

Jolanda was appointed CFO and member of the Management Board at an Extraordinary General Meeting in 2023. She also serves on the board of Pon Holdings.

More information can be found in the convocation and explanatory notes of Ahold Delhaize’s 2026 AGM, which will be published on February 25, 2026.

The award was accepted on behalf of Ahold Delhaize by Bjorn Luijters, Manager Total Talent Acquisition at Ahold Delhaize Group HR, and Nevena Đaković, Manager Organizational Development and DE&I for Europe and Indonesia. 

Leading Employers is an independent institute that evaluates organizations through an extensive meta-study of employer practices. Its assessment is based on a wide range of sources, including employee feedback, audits, jury-based awards, and professional memberships. These inputs are systematically assessed using a weighted evaluation matrix. 

Receiving the Leading Employers certification reflects Ahold Delhaize’s ongoing commitment to its Thriving People strategic priority, which is embedded in the company’s Growing Together strategy. This priority supports Ahold Delhaize’s ambition to be the leading (#1 or #2) employer of choice in each market.

“I am thrilled to contribute to the acceleration of the sustainable growth of our brands in Romania and am very glad to return to the country to further strengthen our leadership position,” said Xavier. “I am grateful to Claude for the support and the opportunity, and I look forward to working closely with local leadership and the teams to drive growth together and deliver enhanced value for customers and partners.”

Julia has served on Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board since April 12, 2023. Julia is a member of the Governance and Nomination Committee as well as the Technology Committee.

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board, commented: "We are grateful for Julia's valuable contributions and insights during her tenure on the Supervisory Board. Her extensive experience in digital innovation and customer engagement has been invaluable in shaping Ahold Delhaize's Growing Together strategy. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

Julia added: "It has been an honor to serve on the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize. I am proud of what we have achieved together and am confident that the company will continue to thrive.”

During the EGM, Wiebe said: “I am honored to join Ahold Delhaize as Chair designate of the Supervisory Board. I look forward to working closely with the Supervisory Board, Frans Muller, and his leadership team to support them in delivering on the Growing Together strategy and realizing the company’s ambitions. Furthermore, Ahold Delhaize plays an important role in shaping a more healthy and sustainable food system - an area I am passionate about. I am excited to help the company further strengthen its position as a key player in food retail.” 

Peter joined the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board in April 2019 and has served as Chair since January 1, 2021. "It has been an honor to serve as Chair of Ahold Delhaize's Supervisory Board. I am confident that we have found an excellent successor, and the company is well positioned to move into the next phase of its strategic journey," said Peter. Peter will step down from the Supervisory Board per October 1, 2025. 

For further information:

• EGM 2025 materials on our website
• Press release ‘Ahold Delhaize announces that its Supervisory Board has decided to nominate Wiebe Draijer for appointment as new Supervisory Board Member and Chair designate; publishes convocation of EGM’

As CTO, Jan will lead Ahold Delhaize’s technology function, overseeing Enterprise Tech strategy, digital innovation, cybersecurity, and enabling our family of great local brands to leverage Ahold Delhaize’s scale to accelerate the development of scalable, customer-centric platforms.

Working with talented teams
Jan added: "I’m honored to join Ahold Delhaize at such a pivotal time, with the Growing Together strategy having made a solid start since its launch last year. The company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, modernization, and customer experience aligns perfectly with my own experience and values. I look forward to working with talented teams across the company to build the next generation of digital and AI/data capabilities that will power the future of retail."

Upon the announcement, Ben shared: "It has been a privilege to serve Ahold Delhaize and to work alongside such dedicated colleagues across our Group and local brands. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and confident that Jan will bring fresh energy and insights to continue advancing our technology agenda. I wish him and the team every success in the journey ahead."

Jan will join the company as incoming CTO on September 1 and will work together with Ben over the course of September to ensure a smooth handover.

The Summit opened with a warm welcome from CGF Managing Director Wai-Chan Chan and Board Co-Chairs Frans Muller, President & CEO of Ahold Delhaize, and Dirk Van de Put, Chairman & CEO of Mondelēz International. Together, they reflected on the coalition’s progress over the past two years and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to address shared global challenges – from sustainability to consumer trust.

A standout moment was the keynote speech by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who highlighted the central role of financial wellbeing for individuals in business success. She cited the Netherlands’ National Coalition for Financial Health, which aims to halve the number of financially vulnerable households by 2030, as a leading example. She urged companies to adopt similar efforts, focusing on early detection of financial stress and offering support to employees. Queen Máxima also called for stronger collaboration in building circular economies, referencing initiatives like the CGF’s Food Waste and Plastic Waste Coalitions, and spotlighted Dutch innovators such as InstockMarket and Avantium for their work in reducing waste and developing bioplastics.

CNN journalist and geopolitical analyst Fareed Zakaria brought a broader lens to the Summit, describing how the post-Cold War rise of globalization, technology, and social mobility has sparked not just growth but also cultural and political backlash. He pointed out that the biggest divides today aren’t between left and right, but between open and closed mindsets – shaped by education, geography, and worldview. Zakaria warned of the growing pressure on liberal democracy, and encouraged leaders to focus on deeper thinking rather than constant reaction. “Don’t confuse motion with progress,” he said – a reminder especially relevant in today’s fast-moving world.

Day two of the event turned attention to pressing social and environmental issues. Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, now Chair of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, joined IGA CEO John Ross in calling on companies to embed Human Rights Due Diligence throughout their supply chains. Sessions highlighted how predictive commerce and AI-driven customer journeys – showcased by Walmart International, Accenture, Nestlé, JD.com, and Ocado – are transforming retail. Carter Roberts, WWF US CEO, also emphasized the need to redesign the global food system, while the launch of CGF’s Climate Transition Coalition underscored industry momentum on climate action.

On day three Albert Heijn took the spotlight. Sonja Boelhouwer, Chief Operating Officer, and Noortje van Genugten, VP Products Operations, gave an energizing presentation on how Albert Heijn is using technology to promote healthier eating. They shared innovations such as dynamic markdowns to reduce food waste, the Scan & Kook (Cook) feature to inspire quick healthy meals, and Steijn, a new AI-powered assistant helping customers make better food choices.

Ahold Delhaize , CEO Frans Muller and CSO Alex Holt also participated in live (podcast) interviews with Omni Talk Retail. Frans highlighted the company’s focus on scalability and innovation to enhance customer experience and sustainability while Alex shared her knowledge on how retailers can implement sustainability practices on a large scale. Frans, together with Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, attended the Going for Gold lunch where they heard from Olympic athletes and discussed the parallels of what is needed to drive change and innovation both in sports and the business world. Frans also attended the Inclusivity Lunch where practical learnings on creating better accessibility for consumers with a disability were shared.

Launch of the Common Data Framework
Another key highlight from the Summit was the launch of The Consumer Good Forum’s Common Data Framework. With retailers using different metrics, formats and methodologies, the framework offers retailers common standards to help reduce inefficiencies and align industry efforts in data collection, particularly surrounding emissions and deforestation.  

The Summit concluded with the official leadership handover at CGF. Frans Muller and Dirk Van de Put passed the Co-Chair baton to Ramon Laguarta, Chairman & CEO PepsiCo, and Ken Murphy, Group CEO, Tesco. The CGF sincerely thank Frans for his dedicated leadership and the lasting impact he has made at the CGF. Ahold Delhaize remains fully committed to the Forum’s mission of driving positive change – together with our partners, for people and the planet.

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia commented: “I am excited to welcome Lynne as Brand President of Etos. As Commercial Director, she has shown strong strategic insight, market understanding and a clear focus on customer needs. With her sharp eye, knowledge of the market and strong leadership skills, I am confident that Etos will continue to grow under her leadership. We thank Pieter for his strong contribution to Etos. Under his leadership, the Etos brand was further strengthened and a new course set, focusing on innovation, competitive offers and increasing the relevance of Etos for a wider target audience. I wish him every success in his new role at Food Lion.”

Lynne joined Etos in 2022 after a successful career spanning over 15 years at L’Oréal, where she held various commercial and leadership roles, including General Manager of the Active Cosmetics Division. At Etos, she has led the successful introduction of distinctive new assortments, transformed the ways of working and, as a strong connector, built powerful teams and strategic partnerships. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Pieter joined Ahold Delhaize in 2020 as Brand President of Gall & Gall and transitioned to Etos in 2023.

Upon the announcement, Lynne said: “I am thankful for the cooperation that Pieter and I have had over the past two years. Together with the team we set a growth course for Etos, with new brand positioning and own-brand product ranges. I look forward to building on the strong foundation we laid, and leading the team in driving both customer satisfaction and sustained growth.” 

Tim started his career in purchasing and continued to develop and expand his expertise. As a Divisional Board Member, he was responsible for the sourcing of private label products in more than 30 countries. 

In his latest role, he led international food purchasing for both private label and branded products, managed e-commerce operations in six countries, and was responsible for commercial management including marketing, customer experience, and loyalty. He also oversaw the purchasing administration including supplier and commodity management, inbound logistics, and quality management. 

Driving commercial excellence 
Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, said: “We are pleased to welcome Tim to Ahold Delhaize. His deep expertise in commercial strategy and international sourcing will be a strong asset as we continue to build an even more connected, customer-focused, and efficient operation across our European and Indonesian markets. I look forward to working with Tim to further strengthen our commercial business, ramping up cost efficiencies and deliver on our ambition to grow together.” 

Tim added: “I am excited to join Ahold Delhaize and contribute to its strong legacy of customer focus and operational excellence. I look forward to working with the teams across Europe and Indonesia and hope I can bring valuable experience, combining my growth mindset with ‘affordability DNA’ to unlock new opportunities for innovation and collaboration, always with the customer at the center of everything we do.” 

Tim will be accountable among others for enabling the consistent delivery of European driven procurement and own brand development strategies based on insightful analytics. Together with the brand commercial teams, he will look for opportunities to streamline processes in key commercial areas, reduce costs and realize the benefits of using our scale. 

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “We are excited to bring Margaret’s deep retail experience to Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall. Margaret has successfully transformed bol from an online store to a leading retail tech platform in the Netherlands and Belgium. Her ability to drive innovation, growth and customer-centric solutions aligns well with the needs of Albert Heijn, Etos, and Gall & Gall. She is a purpose-driven leader with a strong focus on inclusivity and sustainability. Albert Heijn’s mission to make better food accessible for everyone fits her like a glove.”

About Margaret Versteden-van Duijn
Margaret has held various management positions within bol. She started 10 years ago as Chief Marketing Officer and later took on the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Platform Officer, holding ultimate responsibility for bol’s platform activities. She became Brand President of bol in 2021. Before Margaret joined bol, she worked for Bain & Company, Nike and BCG. Originally from Australia, Margaret Versteden-van Duijn has double (Australian/Dutch) nationality and has lived and worked in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, France, Central Eastern Europe and the Netherlands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Systems (Business and IT) from Monash University and an MBA from INSEAD.

On the announcement, Margaret said: “Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall are truly iconic Dutch brands, rooted in society. I am excited and humbled to become part of these organisations and to work together with colleagues, entrepreneurs, partners and suppliers. To create positive impact in the lives of our associates, customers and society. As a certified B Corp we can take big steps to build a society that is not only healthier, but also more social and sustainable. Together with the team, I aim to continue the great traditions of the past and create new opportunities for the future, both for our Dutch businesses and Ahold Delhaize as a whole.”

About Maite Zubiaurre
Margaret will be succeeded at bol by Maite Zubiaurre. Maite has held multiple senior positions at bol, including Director of Strategy & Business development, Director of Marketing & Shopping Technologies and Chief Product Officer. She recently expanded her board position to encompass Technology and Data next to Product in 2024. Prior to her career at bol, she worked for BCG for 10 years in different countries, such as Spain, the Netherlands, United States and The United Kingdom. Maite has double nationality (Spanish/Dutch) and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Deusto University in Spain and the European Business School in Germany as well as an MBA from the University of Deusto.

Claude: “Maite’s expertise in strategy, product development, technology, data and marketing have been instrumental in driving bol’s growth and expanding the business. Maite's holistic view on the business and her passion for innovation make her well suited to take on the role of Brand President at bol. Maite is recognized for leading with head and heart, and I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the profound impact of her sharp intelligence and long-term vision. We’re proud of the strength of our internal succession bench to be able to fill these roles with in-house talent.”

Maite added: “I am honored to step into this new role and excited to lead bol into its next chapter. Our commitment to innovation, customer obsession, and sustainable growth will continue to drive our strategy, as we continue to adapt to the always evolving market. Together with the fantastic team at bol, I look forward to building on our strong foundation and embracing new opportunities to deliver growth and innovation to our customers and to the Ahold Delhaize family of great local brands."

Margaret will start at Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall on 1 September 2025 and Maite will assume her new role on the same date. Marit van Egmond, Albert Heijn’s current Brand President, will depart the organization per 1 May. In the interim period, the Albert Heijn management team will assume her responsibilities.

(Re)appointments to the Supervisory Board

As of today, the longstanding and valuable tenure of Bill McEwan, Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board on Delhaize Group’s and Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board since May 26, 2011, will be ending. Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board: “We would like to thank Bill for his significant and outstanding contributions during his tenure on the Supervisory Board and as Vice-Chair. Over the years, we have valued his considerable experience and his good judgement. His extensive knowledge and international retail expertise will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best.” 

Shareholders approved the appointment of Per Bank as a new member of the Supervisory Board. Per is a Danish citizen with an extensive retail career who currently serves as CEO and President of Loblaw Companies Ltd, a Canadian retailer in food and pharmacies. Before joining Loblaw, Per worked at companies including Salling Group, Tesco, Coop and Mars. “We’re pleased with the appointment of Per to our Supervisory Board. He is a seasoned executive with international retail experience” added Peter Agnefjäll. 

Shareholders also approved the reappointment of Jan Zijderveld as member of the Supervisory Board. Peter Agnefjäll: “We’re also pleased with the reappointment of Jan to the Supervisory Board, recognizing his valuable contributions to the Supervisory Board.”

For more information about Ahold Delhaize’s 2025 AGM, see here.

Jan Zijderveld is a Dutch national and has been on the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize since April 14, 2021. Jan is a member of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee and Technology Committee. Jan also serves as a non-executive director for Pandora and Member of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG.

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board: “We are pleased to propose Per for appointment to the Supervisory Board. Per is a seasoned executive with international retail experience. We are also pleased to propose Jan for reappointment to the Supervisory Board recognizing his valuable contributions to the Supervisory Board.”

Furthermore, Bill McEwan, Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board, will step down from the Supervisory Board at the AGM 2025 after a longstanding and valuable tenure on Delhaize Group’s and Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board since May 26, 2011. 
 
Peter: “We would like to thank Bill for his significant and outstanding contributions during his tenure to the Supervisory Board and as Vice-Chair. Over the years we have valued his considerable experience and his good judgement. His extensive knowledge and international retail expertise will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best.” 

In recognition of Ahold Delhaize’s qualities as an employer, the global Leading Employers award was presented to Gez Asafu-Agyei, Director Strategic Partnerships at Ahold Delhaize Group, and Eline van der Hulst, NextCo member and Manager Area Delivery e-Commerce at Albert Heijn.  

Leading Employers is an independent organization that conducts a comprehensive meta-study to analyze companies’ employment practices. The sources used to evaluate and assess the companies include public surveys, employee reviews, audits, jury awards and memberships. The analysis is carried out using a weighted evaluation matrix.  

The Leading Employers certification highlights Ahold Delhaize’s progress in its Thriving People strategic priority, part of our broader Growing Together strategy, which drives our aspiration to be the leading (#1 or #2) employer of choice in each market.   

Learn more about the Leading Employers organization, its awards and process here.

Upon the announcement, Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, shared: “I want to take the opportunity to extend our gratitude to Gaetan for his dedication and passionate leadership at Profi, particularly during the acquisition process. Together with his team, Gaetan played a key role in the expansion of Profi’s presence in Romania and its reputation of providing customers with high quality and affordable products.”  

Claude, on the new leadership at Profi: “With Mihai we bring on board a leader with broad experience in and knowledge of the Romanian market and customers. His background in finance as well as store operations and supply chain, positions him well to take on this role. He will team up with long serving Profi board members to ensure continuity and stability in leadership”.  

Mihai added: "I am honored by the opportunity to lead Profi and contribute to the integration of the company into the Ahold Delhaize family. Profi has tremendous potential, and together with the current team we will focus on strengthening the company's success. I thank Gaetan for his outstanding contribution and support in this transition. I look forward to meeting the Profi team and continuing together the success story so appreciated by customers, collaborators, employees and partners." 

Gaetan commented: "After 13 years with Profi, I have made the decision to step away, leaving with a deep sense of gratitude and pride for everything we have achieved together. Profi's story is one of ambition, resilience, and transformation, and the company's success is the direct result of the hard work and dedication of every one of my colleagues. I am confident that under the leadership of Mihai Spulber, Profi will continue to grow and unlock new opportunities within Ahold Delhaize, paving the way for an even more exciting future. Thank you all for the support you have given me over the years."   

In the coming six months until July 1, 2025, Gaetan will continue to secure business continuity, and he will remain responsible for the leadership of Profi. He will also closely cooperate with Mihai and the team to ensure a smooth transition for Profi as an Ahold Delhaize company. 

“Meg has been an outstanding leader at Ahold Delhaize USA and has led Food Lion during one of the brand’s most exciting times as it repositioned itself to better serve customers, while staying true to its core attributes of low prices and convenient locations,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA. “Under Meg’s leadership, the brand has experienced tremendous growth, all while remaining true to its purpose of nourishing the towns and cities Food Lion serves. Not only did the Food Lion business thrive, but under Meg’s leadership the brand is on track to deliver 1.5 billion meals by 2025 through its Food Lion Feeds hunger-relief platform. She has been a strong leader for the brand, with a remarkable passion for building strong customer and associate experiences, and we wish her all the best as she transitions to retirement.”
 

Meg added, “While I am looking forward to retirement, Food Lion and Hannaford have been places that I have called home for more than 35 years. I am incredibly grateful to the associates who I have had the opportunity to work alongside every day, to our customers who put their trust in us to nourish their families and to our community partners who work tirelessly every day to feed those who are hungry in our local communities. Throughout my career, I have strived to operate as a humble teacher and a proud learner, and I have cherished the opportunity to learn from the great people I have worked with, and learned from, over the years.”
 

Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across more than 1,100 stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. In 2014, Food Lion Feeds was created and has since donated more than 1.2 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.

With over 25 years of experience in retail, Claude brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of international leadership. His passion for retail, customer innovation, and people has shaped his dynamic career. On a personal note, having grown up across different countries, Claude is fluent in more than four languages, adding to his global perspective.

What are some of your first impressions and observations of Ahold Delhaize? 

Ahold Delhaize is an impressive organization with very engaged teams who collaborate to deliver our common purpose: Inspiring everyone to eat and live better, for a healthier future and planet. I also like how our great local brands across Europe and Indonesia walk the talk in their daily choices and activities, they are engaged and maintain close focus on their customers. For example, Delhaize Belgium’s SuperPlus program provides customers who buy healthy products with savings of up to 10%.Or how our Central and Southeastern European (CSE) brands collaborate closely instead of individually to leverage their scale as a group, while at the same time keeping their important local brand positioning and connection to their communities. They work together in many fields. Whether it’s sourcing or improving processes like figuring out the most efficient way to load their trucks or shelves. This is all in addition to our brands’ strong positioning as number one or two in our markets.  

You have been working in the food retail industry for over 25 years, what do you like so much about this industry?

It’s a very exciting industry where you have a real positive impact on the daily life of many people inside and outside our organization. Moreover, job opportunities are very dynamic and diverse. Personally, I was able to change my role several times within the same food retail company, from operations, marketing, sourcing, tech, and more.

What drew you to Ahold Delhaize?

I have been very inspired by the vision and the strategy of Ahold Delhaize, as well as its strength to develop great local brands. As I have lived in eight counties, I understand the importance of adapting to local communities and having a clear local identity. I also value Ahold Delhaize’s strong company values: teamwork, integrity, humor, care and courage.  As most of our people work across the world at one of our local brands, it's very important that our company values connect with them. This is our strength, our capacity to engage with all colleagues. Additionally, it’s also important that we never forget whom we work for – our brands’ customers.

As an experienced leader, you bring a fresh new perspective to Ahold Delhaize. What challenges and opportunities do you see for our business in the coming years?

We want to play a part in the transformation of food to better sustain the health of our customers as well as the planet. This is certainly an urgent challenge for us and at the same time a great opportunity to anticipate and lead this transformation. In a more practical sense, our main opportunity in Europe is to continue leveraging our scale to have better terms and products for our customers. 

When you look back on how you developed as a leader over the years, what is the most valuable lesson you learned? Do you have advice for current and aspiring leaders?

To me, resilience is the single most important factor in the long run of a career. Things don’t always work as expected and in the end, we can always bounce back when we stay true to who we are and what we want to achieve. As for advice, the important thing is to have a good set of values and behaviors to be able to navigate difficult times.  
 

Most recently, Roger served as the Chief Commercial and Supply Chain Officer for Ahold Delhaize USA. In this role, he led the transformation of commercial capabilities which have enabled strategies for future growth, as well as continued to drive efficiencies that have resulted in reduced costs and increased sales. Prior to his role leading the commercial and supply chain businesses, he served as President of Retail Business Services for seven years. In that role, Roger spearheaded the stand-up of the services organizations for Ahold Delhaize USA and led large-scale supply chain and IT transformations. He was instrumental in maximizing the effectiveness of teams to support the business, including procurement, indirect sourcing and pharmacy. Earlier, Roger served as SVP of Supply Chain, as well as both store manager and category manager roles in the grocery industry. He initially joined the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA in 2005 as VP of Meat and Seafood at Stop & Shop. Roger is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He holds an MBA from Bentley University.

“It’s an honor to rejoin Stop & Shop in this leadership role. I have not only spent a significant portion of my career working at the brand but am a lifelong customer and have a strong passion for the communities Stop & Shop serves,” Roger said. “I look forward to working alongside our Stop & Shop team as we build upon the work underway to deepen the loyalty of our customers, operate great stores and provide excellent service every day. Together, we will grow the Stop & Shop business, be a top employer in our markets and create great experiences for our associates.”

Wheeler added, “Stop & Shop has a clear focus on growing through large, multi-year price investments and a stronger customer value proposition. I look forward to working with our teams to deliver on that vision for our customers, while caring for the communities we serve and growing Stop & Shop as a local brand for many years to come.”

Gordon Reid has worked for Stop & Shop since 2019, and before that, spent six years at the helm of Giant Food. He will remain with Ahold Delhaize USA until mid-2025, providing leadership support for strategic initiatives.

“I want to thank Gordon for his outstanding contributions over the years, and most recently at Stop & Shop,” JJ Fleeman said. “Gordon has made a tremendous impact on our business, having led many initiatives to reposition brands and establish future strategy. From store remodels to price investments to new stores, such as Stop & Shop’s Allston Yards store, his leadership has reshaped customer shopping experiences. I look forward to continuing to work with Gordon until his retirement next year.” 

Gordon Reid: “As I transition to this next chapter, it has truly been an honor and privilege to lead the Stop & Shop brand. I’m grateful for our associates who are incredibly dedicated to serving our customers every day, and I’m extremely proud of all that we have accomplished together. As Stop & Shop embarks on its future journey, I wish Roger and the entire team all the best for the future.”

With over 20 years of food retail experience, Alex is a leader who is set on making things better, being a supportive colleague and driving our health and sustainability ambitions forward. On a more personal level, Alex grew up in London, spent the last 13 years living in Sydney Australia, and now lives in Amsterdam with her husband. When it comes to food, she has an undeniable love for anything Italian and her favorite grocery product is Perla Colombia coffee beans. And as a qualified ski instructor and keen traveler, Alex brings her curiosity and adventurous spirit into everything she does!

You have been with Ahold Delhaize for just over a month, can you share some first impressions and observations?

Ahold Delhaize is a great company and I’m very inspired by our new purpose and Growing Together strategy. Although I’m yet to visit all our fantastic brands, I have already met great people, and everyone has been incredibly welcoming. I’m very excited to be here!

You have been working in the food retail industry for over two decades, what do you like so much about this industry?  

What I love about our industry is its strong focus on people. We have the opportunity and responsibility to serve associates, customers and diverse communities. Small changes can have a significant impact which makes things better for people, for the communities we serve and for our planet. For example, Albert Heijn’s fresh packets (“verspakketten”) is a meal solution that provides customers with great value, more time and reduces food waste. Our industry is also dynamic, innovative, collaborative, action-orientated and constantly evolving – offering a wide range of career options within it.

Why did you decide to make the switch to a sustainability role in 2016?

I wanted to have an impactful role with purpose. Businesses play a crucial role in transforming the food system for a healthier and better tomorrow. We all have a responsibility to ensure we leave our company, our planet, and our people with a better future for generations to come. By focusing on sustainability, I know we can create long-term value for shareholders and stakeholders.

What do you think are the biggest challenges and opportunities for Ahold Delhaize in achieving its ambitions related to health and sustainability?

I’m a glass half-full person, so I see opportunities. I believe in the power of people and the power of tech to find long-term solutions for the ‘wicked’ problems we face today. Our super-power is the amazing people we have at Ahold Delhaize and across our brands – it excites me what is possible as we work together to transform the food system for the future.

How would you describe the role of a CSO?

The role of a Chief Sustainability Officer is to define and drive the company’s sustainability priorities, to ensure a better tomorrow for people, the planet and the communities we serve, thereby creating long-term stakeholder value. This only occurs through deep collaboration across our business, with our supply partners and external stakeholders. An unwavering focus on progress, experimentation of new concepts and purposefully prioritizing near-term actions that move a transformational agenda forward. It's about working together to have a positive impact for future generations to come.

What advice would you have for people who have the ambition to work in the field of sustainability?

Every role has a part to play in delivering and supporting sustainability, so start by exploring how you can make tangible impact in your current position. If you want to move into a dedicated sustainability role, stay curious, research positions, understand the necessary skills, and see where your skills align. Then go for it!

Claude will join Ahold Delhaize on September 1 as Executive Vice President and will start as CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia on October 1. Claude joins from Metro AG, where he has been Chief Customer and Merchandise Officer and member of the Management Board since 2022.  

During the EGM, Claude Sarrailh said: “Ahold Delhaize’s commitment to delivering quality, healthy products sustainably has deeply inspired me. I strongly believe in the power of local adaptation, and I am confident we can leverage our scale to create a strong, multichannel ecosystem around our brands. I look forward to working together and achieving great things for Ahold Delhaize.” 

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board, said: “The Supervisory Board is happy to welcome Claude to Ahold Delhaize. He brings broad international experience in retail at executive level across many different geographies. We appreciate his passion for building commercial and strategic capabilities, developing people, and creating an inclusive and results-focused culture.”   

Claude Sarrailh will succeed Wouter Kolk who has been CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and member of the Management Board since October 2018. Peter Agnefjäll added: “We are grateful for the contributions Wouter has made to Ahold Delhaize, during his long-standing career in several roles and business units. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” 

Instrumental role

Gorica was born and raised in Serbia & Montenegro and joined the company in 2014. Since 2021 she has been part of the Delhaize Serbia Executive Committee. Under Gorica’s leadership, the local brand Maxi has deployed their customer value proposition (‘CVP’) strategy successfully. The CVP provides differentiating offers and good value for customers, while at the same time securing long-term partnerships with suppliers. Gorica also played an instrumental role in the deployment of the company’s Health & Sustainability agenda as well as the CSE commercial programs and joint initiatives.

Solidifying brand market leadership

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “We are proud to promote internal talents to such critical business roles, which confirms our ambition and dedication to growing talent and building high-performing leadership teams. Within our European team, we enhance career opportunities and leverage the Central Southern Europe region to strengthen succession pipelines. Gorica has demonstrated her dedication, strong leadership and great energy in her new role this year and in the years before, and I wish her all the success for the future.”

Jesper Lauridsen, COO Central Southern Europe region: “The decision to entrust the management of the company to someone from the local team turned out to be excellent, not only because Gorica knows the market, business, company culture and mindset but also to inspire all leaders across the region with our passion for our people’s growth and development. Gorica is a great team player and people leader, has exceptional knowledge of the retail business and great experience. I am looking forward to all the great things we will do together for our great local brands & synergies across the CSE region – to win the markets together.”

Claude joins from Metro AG, where he has been Chief Customer and Merchandise Officer and member of the Management Board since 2022. Claude joined Metro in 2006, after a decade with Carrefour, and held several customer, procurement and executive roles in a number of European countries. In addition, he spent three years in China as CEO of Metro China, before joining the Metro Management Board in 2022. Claude is a French national and holds a Master of Finance degree from the Ecole Supérieur de Gestion in Paris. Claude is married and has three children. He will be based in the Netherlands.

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board, said: “We are happy to welcome Claude to Ahold Delhaize. He brings a broad range of experience in emerging and developed markets as well as group functions including retail, digital, wholesale and food service.  He is passionate about building commercial and strategic capabilities, developing people, and creating inclusive and results-focused cultures. Claude will be a great addition to Ahold Delhaize’s Executive Committee and the company overall.”

Claude added: "I have long admired Ahold Delhaize as a company, and I'm delighted to join a team that is dedicated to delivering high-quality products and services to millions of customers across Europe and Indonesia. Like Ahold Delhaize I value diversity in teams, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the various local brands that fall under the company’s umbrella and connecting with the people and communities. Each brand has its unique strengths and challenges, and I'm eager to learn more about how they operate and what makes them successful."

Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “I am excited that Claude will be joining our company. He is a seasoned executive with a broad international track record and a passion for retail, customer innovation and people. He brings extensive commercial experience in the food industry and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to leading teams and transformation strategies. His international background with deep expertise in areas such as sourcing, digital, omnichannel retail business is a great fit for Ahold Delhaize and our great local brands in Europe and Indonesia. We look forward to welcoming him.”

Claude will be nominated by the Supervisory Board to be appointed member of the Management Board at an upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of shareholders, the date of which will be announced in due course. Current Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia CEO Wouter Kolk will step down from the Management Board per 1 October 2024.

By creating the NextCo, Ahold Delhaize ensures that the ExCo has access to the viewpoints of the next generation in the strategy and decision-making process. Furthermore, we recognize the importance of providing leadership development and advisory opportunities for future leaders.  

The NextCo members represent the Millennial demographic across various key countries in which Ahold Delhaize companies operate. They were chosen out of a pool of 45 applicants, nominated by senior leaders throughout all great local brands and support companies. The NextCo Leaders' appointments will run for 18-24 months. 

They are: 

• Valerie Soto, Value Messaging Manager, Stop & Shop (U.S.) 
• Frits Kesting, Privacy Counsel, Ahold Delhaize (Netherlands) 
• Anđela Petrović, Strategy Director, Ahold Delhaize USA (U.S.) 
• Eline van der Hulst, Store Manager, Albert Heijn (Netherlands) 
• Jess Rodgers, Site Director, ADUSA Distribution & Transportation (U.S.) 
• Jolien Pap, Associate Project Manager, bol (Netherlands) 

The NextCo together with the ExCo have chosen a number of topics as their focus areas for the next months, ranging from engagement with the new Ahold Delhaize strategy to sustainability. 

We would like to congratulate the NextCo members on their appointment and look forward to seeing the progress they make in contributing to Ahold Delhaize and each of its companies’ future successes. As Ahold Delhaize continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of its customers and associates, initiatives like NextCo will play a crucial role in advising Ahold Delhaize and its brands for the future. 

Wouter joined the company in 1991 as management trainee at Ahold. Over the next 16 years he served in several international commercial and general management roles, including Commercial Director Asia-Pacific based in Singapore, Regional Director Albert Heijn, General Manager Gall & Gall and General Manager Etos. After growing within the company and ultimately – following a side step as CEO of WE fashion – becoming CEO of Albert Heijn, he joined the Ahold Delhaize Management Board in October 2018 as CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia.
 

Upon the announcement, Wouter stated: “After careful consideration I have decided to leave Ahold Delhaize. I have always loved this company, its people and the business, and have spent the majority of my career at Ahold Delhaize and its brands, but I am at a point in my career where I feel I can also bring my leadership, passion and experience to life at a different company. Having recently been nominated to join the Supervisory Board of AkzoNobel, I am looking forward to further broadening my horizon in the executive and non-executive space.”
 

Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize said: “We will miss Wouter as our colleague in the Management Board. His enthusiasm for and detailed knowledge of the business have been of outstanding value to our company. We are glad we have more time together in 2024 to plan for and ensure an effective transition.”
 

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board, added: “We thank Wouter for his passion and long-standing experience in our industry, which have contributed to our company's success. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors, which we know he will shape with the energy and curiosity he brings to everything he does.”
 

Wouter will stay on as Management Board member through 2024. Information about succession will be shared in due course.

Laura Miller is a U.S. citizen who currently serves as Chief Information and Enterprise Data and Analytics officer at U.S. department store chain Macy’s, where her responsibilities include strategy, execution, operation, enterprise data and analytics and cybersecurity. Before joining Macy’s in 2021 she was the Global Chief Information Officer for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Laura is also an independent director at NCR VOYIX Corp, a provider of software, hardware and services for banks, retailers, restaurants, small business and telecom.
 

Robert Jan van de Kraats is a Dutch national who currently holds a number of board positions, at OCI N.V. and Randstad Beheer B.V., and is chair of the Supervisory Board at Customs Support Group. Prior to moving to a portfolio of board positions, Robert Jan built up extensive experience as CFO for Randstad N.V. and at NCM Holding (now Atradius) before that.
 

Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Supervisory Board: “We are delighted to propose Laura and Robert Jan for appointment to the Supervisory Board. Laura is a seasoned executive with U.S. retail experience as well as considerable experience in both legacy technology transformation and digital innovation. Robert Jan is an experienced executive and will bring extensive financial experience from a number of international listed companies to Ahold Delhaize.”
 

Furthermore, the longstanding and valuable tenure of René Hooft Graafland, who has served on Ahold’s and later Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board since January 1, 2015, will end per the AGM on April 10, 2024.
 

Peter Agnefjäll: “We would like to thank René for his significant and outstanding contributions during his tenure to the Supervisory Board and as Chair of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee. Over the years we have valued his considerable experience and his good judgement. His extensive knowledge and finance expertise will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best.” 

Alex is currently Chief Sustainability Officer and member of the Executive Committee at Woolworths Group, Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailer, a role she has held since June 2021. Upon joining Woolworths in 2011, Alex held a number of roles across their supermarkets business, leading various commercial teams, before becoming General Manager of Sustainability, Health and Quality in April 2016. Alex joined Woolworths Group in 2011 from Tesco, where she spent seven years in a number of roles in business improvement, merchandising and sourcing.
 

Commenting on the announcement, Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “I am very happy that Alex will join our Executive Committee as our new Chief Sustainability Officer. She brings relevant experience from a food retail, business leadership and sustainability perspective. She is a sharp thinker and inspiring leader with a deep understanding of the challenges and impact that this role brings in a food retail company with ambitions with regard to health, nature, and climate.”
 

As CSO, next to her broader contributions and accountabilities as a member of the Executive Committee, Alex will drive the vision and strategy on sustainability in line with our Group strategy and accelerate focus and collaboration across the organization and our supply chain. She will build and develop sustainability capabilities and mindsets within our brands and support organizations. Furthermore, she will provide thought leadership, expertise, and support to our executive team and the brands to help them achieve their goals.
 

Alex, who is British/Australian, will move with her husband from Australia to the Netherlands. She added: “I am very excited to join Ahold Delhaize, a company that wants to contribute positively to the transition to a sustainable food system. I am looking forward to partnering with the executive team, sustainability and business leaders across the company and across the industry to tackle the challenges that we face together, and seize the opportunities that create the biggest impact.”
 

As announced earlier, Linn Evans will assume Ahold Delhaize’s Chief Legal Officer role per 15 April, 2024.

Instrumental role

Gorica, currently Vice President Buying & Merchandising at Delhaize Serbia, was born and raised in Serbia & Montenegro and joined the company in 2014. Since 2021 she has been part of the Delhaize Serbia Executive Committee. Under Gorica’s leadership, the local brand Maxi has deployed their customer value proposition (‘CVP’) strategy successfully. The CVP provides differentiating offers and good value for customers, while at the same time securing long-term partnerships with suppliers. Gorica also played an instrumental role in the deployment of the company’s Health & Sustainability agenda as well as the CSE commercial programs and joint initiatives.

Solidifying brand market leadership

Jan-Willem Dockheer will pursue a career opportunity in the Netherlands, outside of Ahold Delhaize. He joined Delhaize Serbia in September 2020. Under Jan-Willem’s leadership Delhaize Serbia deployed the Maxi strategy resulting in strong growth and solidifying their brand market leadership. Jan-Willem helped build a high-performance culture and psychologically safe environment. Also, Jan-Willem was a strong contributor and ambassador for the Ahold Delhaize CSE strategy and collaboration.

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: "We are proud to promote internal talents to such critical business roles, which confirms our ambition and dedication to grow talents and build diverse executive leadership teams. Within our European team, we enhance career opportunities and leverage the Central Southern Europe region to strengthen succession pipelines. I am thankful to Jan-Willem for his contributions and wish Gorica the best."

Jesper Lauridson, COO Central Southern Europe region: “Jan-Willem is known for his passion for associates and customers, and he will be missed. Jan-Willem’s decision to return to his home country was driven by his wish to be more with his family. We wish Jan Willem all the best on his journey outside Ahold Delhaize and Gorica success in her new interim role with Delhaize Serbia.”

Upon the announcement, Jan Ernst stated: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Ahold Delhaize, a food retailer that is truly at the heart of society. I feel that the time is right to step back after more than nine years, during which the company has developed into a strong organization that is providing consistent value for all stakeholders while taking on the ambition of leading the transition to a sustainable food system. I am incredibly proud of what our teams have accomplished.” 
 

Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, commented: “Jan Ernst has been a true partner, for the Executive Committee and me personally, over the years. His strong sense of ethics helped guide us through some turbulent times, and with his counsel and judgement, I have always been confident that we were well-equipped to handle the challenges that came our way. With his passion and strategic insight, he has brought structure to our ambition on Sustainability, underpinning our thought leadership and performance in this area.” 
 

Following Jan Ernst’s decision, the company has decided to create a dedicated role for Sustainability in the Executive Committee. Linn Evans, currently Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Ahold Delhaize USA, will assume the role of Chief Legal Officer for Ahold Delhaize per 15 April 2024. We have started the selection process for the Chief Sustainability Officer position. 
 

Linn has more than 32 years of legal experience, with most of his career dedicated to grocery retail. He joined the Ahold Delhaize family of companies in 1998, starting as a senior attorney at Food Lion and has held legal leadership positions in each of the predecessor companies. Linn is a native of Salisbury, N.C., and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with distinction and a law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and he is a certified public accountant. He also is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals.  
 

“We’re very happy to welcome Linn to the Executive Committee. He has been with the Ahold Delhaize USA family of companies for a considerable amount of time, and brings a broad range of legal and retail expertise to the role. I have come to know Linn as a sharp thinker, solutions provider and loyal and amiable colleague over the years and look forward to working with him in his new capacity,” said Frans. 

On a more personal level, Jolanda is Dutch, lives in Laren in The Netherlands with her husband and always aims to “think big and care for people". She is an enthusiastic and devoted Albert Heijn customer (she has shopped there her whole life!) and would say the fresh soup boxes and freshly squeezed orange juice are her favorite products.  

You visited many brands in the U.S. and Europe over the last weeks. What are your first impressions?  

I enjoyed meeting so many highly experienced and passionate people, often with long tenures in our company. I have visited almost all our great local brands and have learned what makes them unique, their histories and ambitions going forward. I enjoyed the visits to the stores, warehouses and different offices a lot. It is exciting and a privilege to join Ahold Delhaize. 

Can you share a highlight?  

There were many highlights, but what really struck me was how we were stopped several times by customers in our stores to share that they are so happy with the role our store teams play in their daily life and their community. That is amazing!  

This is your first time as CFO for a retail organization. What differences (or similarities) do you see in the world of retail compared to other sectors you have experienced?  

Ahold Delhaize is positioned in the heart of society and this makes a difference as it’s a people for people business. However, being in the midst of society also brings some societal challenges, our brands’ stores must navigate those while staying true to our brand values and ensuring safety for both customers and associates.   

A shared (and important) value in my experience is the ambition to create a more sustainable world and the focus on talented people and digitization. 

As an experienced business leader, you bring a fresh new perspective to Ahold Delhaize. What challenges and opportunities do you see for our business in the next few years?

We have a lot to be grateful for: a strong company with a strong international presence, an industry-leading financial position, great talent and great local brands. This enables us to successfully navigate both the challenges and opportunities ahead.  

If I look at the challenges, it’s clear that the markets we operate in struggle with inflation. People and economies are under pressure. We need to continuously ensure our customer value proposition responds to that and that our brands’ assortments continue to be affordable and healthy. We want to be a leader in sustainability, to invest in our people and to be a digital leader. We also want to deliver high performance to our shareholders. To structurally realize these ambitions and build a long-term future-proof organization, growth is very important. Balancing these topics is both the challenge and the opportunity going forward. 

What are your ambitions when it comes to sustainability?  

Sustainability is embedded in Ahold Delhaize’s DNA. We are one of the frontrunners in our industry and have recently been scored 'prime' in the ISS-ESG, and ‘AAA’ in the MSCI indexes, important ESG benchmarks that track the ambitions and performance of companies like Ahold Delhaize and peers. I am passionate about maintaining that frontrunner position and proud of the commitments we have made around – for example – the reduction of carbon emissions and waste. To realize our commitments, we must continuously collaborate closely, in- and outside our company and across the value chain. 

How do you motivate yourself and your team during challenging times? 

Tough times are part of every exciting journey. It does help if you are in it together. Supporting each other, listening and having a good laugh now and then while keeping the end goal in mind, and remembering that sometimes you need to go deep to really change things for the better. 

Jolanda brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as CFO. Her strategic vision will drive our company to greater heights, and we look forward to witnessing her positive impact in the food retail industry.  

To gain a better understanding of the CGF and Ahold Delhaize’s involvement, we spoke with our CEO Frans Muller and Ahold Delhaize's Vice President Health & Sustainable Diets, Imke van Gasselt.  

1. What is the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and what role does Ahold Delhaize play in it?  

The CGF is the world’s only international organization that brings consumer goods retailers and manufacturers together. It unites CEOs from more than 400 member companies across 70 countries – including Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Danone, Nestlé, Tesco, Unilever and Walmart. Together, the members reflect the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format.  

Member companies have combined sales of €4.6 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. Ahold Delhaize has been a long-term member of the CGF and our organization works with industry partners on important health and sustainability topics in CGF coalitions of action.  

Through the eight CEO-led Coalitions, members work together pre-competitively to deliver positive change on a large scale. The eight coalitions are categorized under: Product Data, Food Waste, Plastic Waste, Forest Positivity, Human Rights, The Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative, The Global Food Safety Initiative And Collaboration For Healthier Lives which is also co-led by Frans Muller. In addition to the eight coalitions, a ninth, Race to Zero, will soon be added to further accelerate net-zero ambitions. 

2. Frans, you have recently been appointed as Co-Chair for the CGF – what does this role entail and what impact do you wish to have in this role?  

It’s an honor to take on this role with Dirk for the next two years. Together, we aim to accelerate a greater combined impact for people and the planet by driving faster action at scale across the CGF’s broad membership by being transparent and acting collaboratively. In addition to maintaining the eight coalitions mentioned above, we have identified a series of critical areas to intensify CGF’s focus. They include:  

• Tackling deforestation. The CGF’s Forest Positive Coalition of Action is the world’s leading initiative of consumer goods companies taking collective action to help end commodity-driven deforestation and conversion. It offers an evidence-based approach on how to create a deforestation and conversion free supply chain strategy, and we are encouraging transformative changes to be implemented by both Coalition companies and across CGF’s wider membership. This includes companies implementing a time-bound action plan for achieving forest positive commodity production, and transparently reporting on their progress. 
   
• Moving to a circular economy for plastics. The CGF has already worked with its members to outline a series of Golden Design Rules, which provide practical principles for better, and less, plastic packaging. Dirk and I are eager to accelerate greater adoption of these principles across the industry.
   
• Protecting human rights. As part of its efforts to make due diligence and responsible recruitment the norm in the consumer goods industry, the CGF will increase its role in helping businesses to identify, address, and prevent human rights risks throughout their supply chains. CGF’s work includes helping members to go beyond the scope of many voluntary due diligence frameworks. 
   
• Boosting employee health and well-being. The CGF's Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition works to empower people around the world to lead healthier lives – and as part of this, the Coalition is supporting businesses across CGF’s membership to enhance their employee well-being culture. We will deepen the focus on members prioritizing their own employees’ physical and mental health, alongside the health and well-being of global customers. 
   
• Supporting faster decarbonization progress. The CGF is already an official accelerator of the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, working with members to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions along their value chains. Dirk and I will help ramp up activity across CGF’s membership to support decarbonization progress across the value chain– including better agricultural production, improved operations, and transparent reporting.    
   

3. Imke, how does Ahold Delhaize's involvement in the CGF support our Health & Sustainability ambitions?  

To help us bring Ahold Delhaize’s strategic growth pillar – Healthier People and Healthier Planet ambition – to life, we have identified six internal enablers of which Partnerships is one (others include Mindsets, Technology & Innovation, Customer Behavior, Investments, Governance and Incentive Structure). Because by collaborating with other retailers and manufacturers via our CGF membership and the coalitions of action, we can share learnings and gather diverse perspectives to develop new solutions which are needed to improve health and sustainability in our communities. 

4. Frans, what impact does the Consumer Goods Forum have on sustainability?  

The challenges facing people and the planet are unprecedented, and no company, government or organization can tackle them alone – so our approaches to tackling them must be shared. I’m looking forward to building on the important work already achieved, by enabling members to drive focused actions faster together.

5. How can people stay up to date with the progress that is made by the CGF?  

We strongly suggest following the Consumer Goods Forum on LinkedIn, or subscribing to the CGF newsletter to learn more about the latest achievements. There are also several resources available on the CGF website. And we will keep you up to date through our Ahold Delhaize channels.  

“We have been fortunate to have John lead The GIANT Company as interim Brand President during a time of transition, and we are excited about this next step in his career,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO Ahold Delhaize USA. “He has led the team during a very important time in the company’s history as it celebrates its 100-year anniversary this fall. John is a leader who cares deeply about his team and serving customers. He will continue to drive strong performance and advance many of the hallmarks of The GIANT Company brand, including growth in its local markets, innovation in operations and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and sustainability.”

Before serving as interim Brand President, John served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for The GIANT Company, where he led the merchandising and marketing teams to develop and implement customer-centric strategies that support the continued growth of the brand, while also improving customers’ experience and the overall value proposition. John started his career in the grocery industry at age 14 at Foodtown in New Jersey, where he worked through college. He later joined Pathmark and held positions of increasing responsibility at retail and in merchandising before joining Ahold Delhaize USA companies in 2011 and The GIANT Company in 2018. 

“I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as Brand President of The GIANT Company,” John said. “Guided by our purpose of connecting families for a better future in all that we do, I’m looking forward to building on The GIANT Company’s incredible legacy and working with our entire team to do what we do best: ensuring we are always well-positioned to not only meet but exceed the needs of our customers and communities who’ve trusted us for the past century.”

An industry and community champion, John serves as Chair of FMI’s Fresh Food Leadership Committee and on the Board of Directors at Philabundance, the largest hunger-relief organization serving the Philadelphia area. He attended Rutgers College and has completed post-graduate programs at Cornell University and Harvard Business School.

The GIANT Company, headquartered in Carlisle, Pa., is an omnichannel retailer with more than 35,000 associates that proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and New Jersey. It operates 193 stores, 132 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations and over 180 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery services in hundreds of zip codes.

Jolanda will join Ahold Delhaize mid-August as Executive Vice President Finance and member of the Executive Committee and start as CFO on 1 October after an induction period. She joins from offshore construction company Van Oord, where she has held the position of CFO since 2016. During the EGM, Jolanda Poots-Bijl said: “I will dedicate my 20 years of CFO experience in various industries, my passion, time and high level of energy to the company and its strategy, with a keen eye on people, sustainability and innovation.”
 

Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize said: “We are looking forward to Jolanda starting. Her extensive experience as a finance leader and passion for digital transformation and sustainability will be of important value to our company.”
 

Jolanda Poots-Bijl will succeed Natalie Knight, who has been CFO and member of the Management Board since April 2020. Natalie will move back to the United States together with her family after more than 25 years in Europe.
 

“On behalf of all Ahold Delhaize associates and our Management Board, I want to thank Natalie for her contribution and positive impact on our company. We wish Natalie all the best for her future endeavors,” said Frans Muller.
 

Nienke van de Streek

Nienke is a highly experienced retail professional in food and non-food. In her career she has held various management positions within a number of well-known Dutch retail companies. She started her career at Hema and gained her work experience in food retail from 2009. In Nienke’s last role at ALDI Netherlands, she was responsible for positioning, brand identity and results. Nienke says: "Gall & Gall is a beautiful and well-known brand, with a good assortment and enthusiastic associates, I have already discovered that in all recent store visits. I'm looking forward to getting to work with the team."

Pieter Saman

Pieter joined Ahold Delhaize in 2020 to lead Gall & Gall and is now appointed Brand President of Etos. Before doing so, he worked at outdoor store Bever for eight years. Starting out with the responsibility for marketing, e-commerce and omnichannel management, which led to a successful repositioning and online channel for the brand, Pieter was appointed CEO of Bever in 2016. Pieter started his career as a strategy consultant at OC&C Strategy Consultants.

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “I am pleased with these appointments at two of our great brands, who will further strengthen our European team. Gall & Gall and Etos, like many of our other brands, have a long history and are the familiar faces in the streets of the Netherlands. Nienke and Pieter will both report into Marit van Egmond, who oversees Albert Heijn, Gall & Gall and Etos. I am looking forward to working with them in my European team, continuously improving our brands’ service to customers together.”  

About Gall & Gall 

Gall & Gall has been selling liquor since 1884 and is the largest specialist in the Netherlands. Its logo refers to the brand’s strong roots. Founder Maria Gall had a motto: "No order too large, no order too small, no order too far." And although times have changed, Gall & Gall’s passion to help and inspire customers has remained. 

About Etos 

Dutch drugstore chain Etos, founded in 1919, has long been a trusted expert on what customers (72% of the Dutch population) are increasingly looking for, in stores and at home. Etos owns, among others, health websites gezondheidsplein.nl and ziekenhuis.nl. The company is thus the largest provider of online health and wellness information in the Netherlands. In its 550 stores, Etos employs 5,400 associates, of which 2400 are certified (assistant) chemists. Etos has been voted the best drugstore in the Netherlands seven times.