ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - A new leader is taking up the helm at Ahold Delhaize. The retailer’s Supervisory Board has nominated Claude Sarrailh as a member of the Management Board, who will join on September 1, 2024, as Executive Vice President. Following shareholder approval, he will start as a member of the Management Board of Ahold Delhaize and Chief Executive Officer of Ahold Delhaize Europe and Indonesia on October 1, 2024.

"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,” Claude stated. “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."

Claude joins from Metro AG, where he has been Chief Customer and Merchandise Officer and member of the Management Board since 2022. He 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.

According to a press release, Claude will be nominated by the Supervisory Board to be appointed member of the Management Board at an upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders. Current Ahold Delhaize Europe and Indonesia CEO Wouter Kolk will step down from the Management Board on October 1, 2024.

“I am excited that Claude will be joining our company,” said Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize. “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.”

We wish the best of luck to the new executive!