Jan Potijk, member of the executive board of ForFarmers and COO of ForFarmers Netherlands, has decided not to be eligible for reappointment during the annual general meeting of shareholders on April 26, 2019, when his current tenure ends. The executive board will consequently consist of CEO Yoram Knoop and the CFO Arnout Traas.
ForFarmers has appointed two new members of the executive committee, Pieter Wolleswinkel and David Fousert, both internal promotions. They will start in their new positions as of January 1, 2019, allowing a smooth transition of responsibilities. Consequently, after April 2019, the executive committee will comprise eight members.
Pieter Wolleswinkel will become responsible for ForFarmers Netherlands consisting of the business units Ruminant, Swine and Poultry. Wolleswinkel has a degree in veterinary medicine and an MBA, and previous careers as a practicing veterinary doctor and in international leadership positions at Provimi. He joined ForFarmers in 2014 as Business Unit Director North within ForFarmers Germany. As of the beginning of 2018, Wolleswinkel has been Business Unit Director Swine within ForFarmers the Netherlands.
David Fousert will become responsible for the business units Reudink, Pavo and ForFarmers Belgium. Fousert has a degree in pharmacy and had various international leadership positions in the food and agri business at Cargill. He joined ForFarmers in 2016 as Business Unit Director Ruminants within ForFarmers Netherlands.
“I look back on 36 years at ForFarmers and its predecessors and my contribution to what ForFarmers is today,” Potijk said. “I could not have wished for a more interesting and challenging career. I have decided not to be eligible for a new term as executive board member so that I can dedicate more time and energy to other things in my life. I am proud that we have appointed two members of my management team. I have great confidence in both Pieter and David to lead their teams to be commercially successful whilst putting farmers and their needs central in their strategic choices.”
Yoram Knoop, CEO of ForFarmers, said: “We respect Jan’s decision not to stand for another term after his current contract ends. Jan has been of invaluable importance to the development and success of ForFarmers. He informed us of his wish to seize the moment to step down when his mandate would come to an end having identified and trained his successors in his own management team. Pieter Wolleswinkel and David Fousert have proven to be knowledgeable and experienced leaders and we are pleased and proud to announce these two important internal promotions.
“This change also includes a change in scope for Adrie van der Ven, allowing him to fully focus on our developments in Germany and Poland. We decided to expand our executive committee with one member given the increasing size of the organization as a result of our Horizon 2020 strategy and following recent acquisitions.”
