ZAANDEM, THE NETHERLANDS - Ahold and Delhaize, which successfully merged last summer, have just announced a new executive team to lead the new joint retail chain.
According to a press release, the following members will report directly to the Ahold Delhaize CEO and will supplement the future Executive Committee:
- Marc Croonen, Chief Sustainability, Transformation & Communications Officer
- Hanneke Faber, Chief E-Commerce & Innovation Officer
- Jan Ernst de Groot, Chief Legal Officer
- Abbe Luersman, Chief Human Resources Officer
The Ahold Delhaize Management Board already consists of CEO Dick Boer, Deputy CEO and Chief Integration Officer Frans Muller, CFO Jeff Carr, COO Europe Pierre Bouchut, COO USA Kevin Holt, and COO USA James McCann, with these newest appointments to go into effect when the merger is complete.
This future Executive Committee is expected to take charge of the company’s day-to-day management, and the chain relayed confidence in the combination of leaders from both former companies to push it to new heights.
“[The Executive Committee] exhibits the right combination of functional capabilities and retail experience to steer a company that will greatly expand its reach to deliver even more for the customers and communities it serves. The team will be well-positioned to drive and support integration, while managing the businesses for continued customer service and commercial success,” it stated in the release.
Ahold Delhaize also created two new roles, Chief Sustainability, Transformation & Communications Officer and Chief E-Commerce & Innovation Officer, which it said will be put in place to both shape and drive ambitions as “a responsible and innovative retailer.” These areas will also be overseen by a Sustainability and Innovation Committee at the Supervisory Board level, though who will fill them was not yet announced.
Though the future for the deal continues to remain strong, all announcements are still subject to shareholder approval, regulatory clearance, and other customary conditions. The two continue to report that they are on track to complete the merger by mid-2016, however, sealing a deal valued at $28 billion and creating a portfolio of over 375,000 associates in the U.S. and Europe alone.
