BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Dirk Van den Berghe, the CEO of Delhaize Belgium and Luxembourg, has announced his resignation from the retailer today, effective July 31, 2014. Van den Berghe is leaving to accept a new role outside the company, according to a press release. Denis Knoops has been named as his replacement, effective immediately.
“I want to thank Dirk for his significant contributions to Delhaize Group and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Frans Muller, Delhaize Group President and CEO. “Our operations in Belgium and Luxembourg have a dedicated and capable management team that is well-equipped to address the challenges we face and to build on opportunities we have to improve our business.”
Van den Berghe joined Delhaize Group in 1999, starting as General Manager of Delvita, the company’s former subsidiaries in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He subsequently became Senior Vice President of Emerging Markets overseeing Delvita, Mega Image, and Super Indo. He joined Delhaize Belgium in 2008 as Senior Vice President of Procurement, Quality, and European Sourcing. In 2012, he was named CEO of Delhaize Belgium and Luxembourg, and was appointed member of the Delhaize Group Executive Committee as of April 1, 2014.
Denis Knoops will be taking over as the new CEO for Delhaize Belgium and Luxembourg.
“Denis is a seasoned leader with a strong customer orientation and a thorough knowledge of both food retail and Delhaize Group,” said Frans Muller, President and CEO of Delhaize Group. “I want to congratulate him on becoming the new CEO of Delhaize Belgium and Luxembourg and look forward to working with him.”
Knoops is a 22 year Delhaize veteran and has served the company in a variety of commercial, operational, strategic, and real estate roles across Belgium, the United States, and Asia, according to a press release. Since 2006, he has been a member of the Delhaize Belgium Executive Committee where he was most recently responsible for leading the network of affiliates as well as new markets and real estate.
“It was a tough decision to leave but I feel this new opportunity is best for me and my family at this point in our lives,” said Van den Berghe.
Congratulations on your new executive position, Denis! Dirk, we wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors!
