Wouter Kolk, the chief executive of Ahold Delhaize's Europe & Indonesia business, is to step down by the end of this year, the group said in a statement.
Kolk, who joined Ahold as a management trainee back in 1991, has held a variety of roles with the group, including commercial director for Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore, regional director for Albert Heijn, general manager of Gall & Gall and general manager of Etos.
He also previously held the role of CEO of Albert Heijn, before taking on his current role in October 2018.
'Broadening My Horizon'
“After careful consideration I have decided to leave Ahold Delhaize," he commented. "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.”
Management Board
Kolk will stay on as a member of Ahold Delhaize's management board through 2024, and information about his successor will be shared in due course, the retailer said.
Commenting on his impending departure, Frans Muller, president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize said that Kolk's "enthusiasm for, and detailed knowledge of the business have been of outstanding value" to the business.
Elsewhere, Peter Agnefjäll, chair of the Ahold Delhaize Supervisory Board, thanked Kolk for his "passion and long-standing experience in our industry, which have contributed to our company's success".
ESM last caught up with Wouter Kolk at Ahold Delhaize's headquarters in 2021 – that interview can be found here.
