Experience

Greenyard

• Belgium
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Managing Director

  • 2020 - Present

  -Restructured and led GREENYARD FRESH FRANCE-Oversaw sourcing, sales and logistics of Southern Hemisphere fruits to EU-Implemented & reviewed import, export, trading & added-value supply chain services/logistic solutions model-Worked out different innovation projects in order to diversify product & service offer in an industry under margin pressure -Built inclusive & flexible people culture after managing lay-offs of 75% of HC and setting up a completely new team-Conducting change in difficult market circumstances -Identified quick wins, instigated transformation plan to reverse $12M EBITDA loss. Redefined business model and commercial strategy to break-even w/i 3 years-Defined growth plan for capturing business potential of EUR400M-Pivoted towards the French retail market-Developed and implemented a new grower/supplier&integrated commercial strategy-Defined business drivers and KPI's for operations management implementing Kaisen method -Brought company-wide focus on financial performance-Set up controlling department w/i finance-Shifted overall company mindset making finance&administration a business partner of operations, instigating a company-wide culture of accountability-Set up a new quality department-Instigated an exigeant human performance-based company culture Show less

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Sep 2018 - Mar 2020

  - Rationalized THE FRUIT FARM GROUP, preferred supplier of Greenyard- Restructured 7 fresh fruit production & packing export entities (Suriname, Costa Rica, Brasil, Uruguay, South Africa, The Netherlands & Turkey), discontinuing 3 loss-making operations - Defined roadmap to drive 4 operations to profitable growth - Transformed operations via human organisation adaptation, right talent density and operational excellency in farming / packing / logistics- Redefined cash management and pushed the debt wall forward; built out refinancing plan with CFO- Drove regenerative farming initiatives where growth potential Show less

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Sep 2015 - Sep 2018

  - Led restructuring & optimization of farming (50000+ Ha) and packing operations for once-largest Argentine 1st fruit exporter to USA : EXPOFRUT Argentina - Oversaw rationalisation and transformation process of trading operations in Buenos Aires, production of grapes for export in NW Argentina and stonefruit production & packing for export in Rio Negro (Patagonia)- Instigated culture of cash mgmt & accountability- Drove shift to 100% own production- Drove HR restructuring & HC reduction of 1000 people, in context of unstable socio-economic, political environment- Created a profitable asset management company Show less



Carrefour

• France
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• General Manager

  • Jun 2014 - Sep 2015

  - CARREFOUR - MAJID AL FUTTAIM GROUP Dubai based Arab Group, holding the franchise for C4 for Eastern Africa, Middle-East and Central Asia - Led acquisition negotiation of leading €500M Armenian retailer- Defined Carrefour’s commercial and merchandising strategy- Team member of opening of first hypermarket Carrefour in Yerevan in new-built mall- Set up adapted organization and training for 1500 employees- Assisted opening and development of supermarkets in Tbilisi, Georgia

• General Manager

  • Apr 2010 - Jun 2014

  - CARREFOUR - MAJID AL FUTTAIM GROUP Dubai based Arab group, holding the franchise for C4 for Middle East, East-Africa and Central Asia- Opened 14 supermarkets from the ground up- Developed projects and successfully managed operations. Avge 1500m2 surface, €400M - Built a team of 1200 people, 100% Arab-speaking- Assisted opening and development of supermarkets in Beirut, Lebanon



louis delhaize

• Belgium
• Retail
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Corporate Brand Marketing Director

  • 2007 - 2010

  - Audited, restructured, rationalized department. Built brand strategy- Set up new communication and research departments- Established range management and pricing strategy- In this role next to the development, real estate & facility management director roles- Development & roll-out new retail concept adapted to local needs (innovative concept Grab&Go in Central Budapest stores - "Table d'hôte" concept in premium locations throughout Hungarian network)

• Real Estate & Facility Management Director

  • 2002 - 2010

  - Managed real estate portfolio and oversaw €20M of transactions- Set up a new real estate division as a separate business unit- Built out financial targets and reporting for facility management- In this role next to the development director role

• Development Director EASTERN EUROPE Match & Profi

  • 1998 - 2002

  - Opened the first 15 discount stores PROFI in Romania post fall of communism- Built 40 stores in Hungary. Built Czech, Slovak network via acquisitions- Audited the Hungarian network of JULIUS Meinl and prepared the operational audit for acquisition by Louis Delhaize Group - Lead of development strategy & integration : store formats, adaptation store concepts (hyper, super, proxy, cash&carry)

• Development Director Match

  • 1994 - 1998

  - Developed and opened new supermarkets, reporting to CEO/owner- Convinced the board to develop supermarkets in Flemish part of Belgium and opened the best performing supermarkets of the network- Introduced, implemented, oversaw franchise network



Vendex International Trading Co

• Qatar
• Food and Beverage Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Expansions & Logistics Director

  • 1990 - 1994

  - Headed WH team of 120 & oversaw 20k m2 warehouse - Developed and led new logistics platform for fresh & frozen produce - Led and built out initial merchandising team of 10 - Drove technical remodeling exercise for 120 stores in 1 year - Headed WH team of 120 & oversaw 20k m2 warehouse - Developed and led new logistics platform for fresh & frozen produce - Led and built out initial merchandising team of 10 - Drove technical remodeling exercise for 120 stores in 1 year



United Nations

• International Affairs
• 700 & Above Employee

• FAO Professional Expert

  • 1987 - 1990

  - Shifted local farming practices in Niger. Built mills and irrigation plan - Built warehouses for grain and beans across Tanzania - Learned leadership in other cultures and complex situations - Shifted local farming practices in Niger. Built mills and irrigation plan - Built warehouses for grain and beans across Tanzania - Learned leadership in other cultures and complex situations