<p>Ahold has announced organizational changes to its European business. The company reports that Ahold Europe as a business division will no longer exist. This follows the September 2013 formation of Ahold’s Executive Committee. The company will refocus its current Ahold Europe operations and its leadership on building the Albert Heijn business in the Netherlands and adjacent markets, according to a press release.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Reporting to CEO Dick Boerm Executive Committee member Sander van der Laan will continue to lead Albert Heijn while the company’s Czech Republic business will report directly to CEO Dick Boer. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Bol.com, an important area of growth for Ahold, will continue to report to Executive Committee Member and Chief Commercial Officer Hanneke Faber.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Dick Boer, CEO Ahold, stated, “The food retail industry continues to evolve rapidly and we see significant opportunities for growth to cater for the changes in the way that our customers shop. Today’s decision will bring management closer to running the business. By further strengthening the Albert Heijn brand in both the Netherlands as well as neighboring markets, combined with a growing omni-channel offering via Albert Heijn online, Albert Heijn pick-up points, and Albert Heijn to go, we will be better positioned to meet customer needs and accelerate future growth.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Ahold will continue to pursue other important areas of growth within Europe such as further strengthening the market position of Albert in the Czech Republic, the roll-out of Albert Heijn and bol.com in Belgium, and Etos and Gall & Gall in the Netherlands. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The company is also continuing to look for ways to streamline and simplify the organization’s support functions across the company to ensure that the company can maintain and strengthen its successful market positions and continually reinvest resources in its customer proposition and organizational capabilities.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" https://www.ahold.com" target="_new">Ahold</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
