John Rishton, Chief Executive Officer
John Rishton (February 21, 1958) is a British national. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer on November 15, 2007, after having served as acting President and CEO since July 1, 2007.
Mr. Rishton joined Ahold on January 1, 2006 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Ahold's shareholders appointed him to the Corporate Executive Board on May 18, 2006.
Mr. Rishton is former Chief Financial Officer of British Airways Plc. He has also worked for Ford Europe in various executive positions.
Mr. Rishton is non-executive director of Rolls Royce Group Plc.
Kimberly Ross, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Kimberly Ross (May 5, 1965) is a U.S. national. She was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and acting member of the Corporate Executive Board on November 15, 2007, after having served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer since July 1, 2007. On April 23, 2008 Ahold's shareholders appointed her to the Corporate Executive Board.
Mrs. Ross joined Ahold in September 2001 as Assistant Treasurer. In April 2002, she became Vice President and Group Treasurer and was promoted to Senior Vice President and Group Treasurer in January 2004. She was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Treasury and Tax Officer in April 2005.
Prior to joining Ahold, Mrs. Ross held the position of Senior Manager at Ernst & Young in New York and Director of Corporate Finance for the Americas at Joseph E. Seagram & Sons Inc. Mrs. Ross also held a number of other management positions at Joseph E. Seagram & Sons Inc. from 1995 through 2001 as well as at Anchor Glass from 1992 to 1995.
Dick Boer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Europe
Dick Boer (August 31, 1957) is a Dutch national. He assumed the position of acting member of the Corporate Executive Board on May 10, 2006 and was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Europe as of November 6, 2006. On May 3, 2007 Ahold's shareholders appointed him to the Corporate Executive Board.
Mr. Boer joined Ahold in 1998 as CEO of Ahold Czech Republic and was appointed President and CEO of Albert Heijn in 2000. In 2003, he became President and CEO of the Albert Heijn operating company.
Prior to joining Ahold, Mr. Boer spent more than 17 years in various retail positions for SHV Holdings in the Netherlands and abroad, and for Unigro N.V., now Super de Boer N.V.
He is Co-Chairman of ECR Europe and ECR Nederland/GS1, Deputy Chairman of Central Office Food Trade (CBL), and a member of the Supervisory Boards of AMS Sourcing B.V. and the Red Cross Hospital in Beverwijk, the Netherlands. Mr. Boer is a member of the Executive Boards of VNO-NCW, the Dutch Retail Trade Council and the Platform Retail Trade Nederland. He is a member of the European Retail Round Table.
Lawrence Benjamin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ahold USA.
Lawrence Benjamin (November 6, 1955) is a U.S. national. In July 2008, Ahold announced his nomination by the Supervisory Board for appointment to the Corporate Executive Board. He was appointed member of the Corporate Executive Board by Ahold's shareholders at the General Meeting of Shareholders on April 28, 2009.
Mr Benjamin was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Ahold USA as of November 6, 2006. He joined Ahold in October 2003 as President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Foodservice. From 2002 to October 2003, he was Chief Executive Officer of the NutraSweet Company in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to joining NutraSweet, Mr. Benjamin worked with the private equity firm of Oak Hill Capital Management and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Stella Foods and Specialty Foods Corporation. Mr. Benjamin also held a number of management-level positions in the retail and ingredient divisions of Kraft Foods from 1986 to 1994.
Acting Member of the CEB
Lodewijk Hijmans van den Bergh, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Governance Counsel
Lodewijk Hijmans van den Bergh (September 16, 1963) is a Dutch national. In September 2009, Ahold announced his nomination by the Supervisory Board for appointment to the Corporate Executive Board. His appointment will be proposed at the General Meeting of Shareholders on April 13, 2010. Lodewijk joined the company on December 1, 2009, assuming his responsibilities as acting member of the Corporate Executive Board, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Governance Counsel.
Prior to joining Ahold, Lodewijk was a partner and member of the managing committee of Amsterdam based law firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, where he lead the corporate practice. He was the resident partner of De Brauw’s London office from 1994 to 1998.