The board of directors of Coop amba has appointed Jeff Gravenhorst as the chair of Coop Denmark, effective from 1 October 2023.
Gravenhorst succeeds Lasse Bolander, who will continue as deputy chair of Coop Denmark’s board of directors until April 2024, to ensure a smooth transition.
Bolander will also step down as the chair of Coop amba in April of next year, the company added.
Gravenhorst has been a member of the board of Coop Denmark since May 2022 and, most recently, served as its deputy chair.
Bolander commented, “I am delighted that Jeff is taking on the post. Over the past year and a half on the board, he has shown a great understanding of the challenges we face, and has helped to adopt the Fremtidens Coop strategy.
“In a long career, he has documented good business results, and he has special experience from other large companies, with a focus on service and employees.”
Jeff Gravenhorst
Gravenhorst is a seasoned professional who served as the chief executive of ISS from 2010 to 2020.
He has also been associated with the boards of other companies, including the engineering company Rambøll, where he served as chair for a number of years.
Previously, he was on the board of Danish food cooperative Danish Crown.
Commenting on his new role, Gravenhorst said, “I am looking forward to the task. Coop is undergoing a major transformation with the strategy Fremtidens Coop.
“We must create a more profitable business – simpler and with lower costs – at the same time that we provide customers with the market’s leading chains, in the form of the large Coop supermarkets, the green discount chain 365discount, and the local Brugsen stores.”
