Jolanda van Haarlem appointed as Group Director Specialties and Global Strategy Director at Royal Agrifirm Group

Royal Agrifirm Group, a Dutch agricultural cooperative, active worldwide in the production and supply of products and services for animal feed and the cultivation and protection of crops, has announced the appointment of Jolanda van Haarlem as its new Group Director Specialties and Global Strategy Director

Jolanda van Haarlem has a rich and extensive career in the agri-industry spanning 25 years. She began her journey as a sales manager and later on served as a market unit manager at Friesland Domo. Her career continued to progress as she took on roles such as Marketing and Sales director at Quest International and COO at EBI food safety, a start-up at that time.

In 2009, she joined Provimi/Cargill as the Director of Product Group Dairy, where she spent over a decade serving in various roles, including Director of Strategic Marketing, Managing Director China, Managing Director Europe, and Group Director EMEA. After her successful tenure at Cargill, Jolanda left to accept the role of CEO at Hendrix Genetics in 2021. However, following a significant restructuring and a change of ownership, she made the decision to leave Hendrix in the second half of 2022.

Dick Hordijk, CEO of the Royal Agrifirm Group, is pleased to announce Jolanda van Haarlem as the company's new senior leader: “Given her extensive experience in the agricultural industry and the global food chain, the company is thrilled to have her onboard. Jolanda will play a crucial role in implementing and further developing the company's global strategy, in addition to her responsibilities as Group Director Specialties.”

Jolanda van Haarlem will be responsible for the Specialties business including the Strategic Category Management, and will also act as Global Strategy Director. Furthermore, she will oversee the EMEA team as Gudo klein Gebbink, the current Managing Director EMEA, has decided, in good collaboration, to leave Agrifirm after working over five years in this role.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to join Royal Agrifirm Group and play a role in realizing their long-term vision of creating a responsible food chain," says Jolanda van Haarlem. "I am eager to be a part of a company that is committed to making a positive impact for future generations. With my experience and expertise, I look forward to contributing to this innovative and forward-thinking company, and to drive meaningful change in the industry."