DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma to Step Down in 2020DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma to Step Down in 2020
December 2, 2019

The chief executive officer of Dutch health, nutrition, and materials firm Royal DSM named two members of its Managing Board, Geraldine Matchett and Demitri de Vreeze, as co-chief executive officers of the company as its current CEO Feike Sijbesma, prepares to step down from the top role in 2020.
The new co-CEOs are slated to take on the joint management role on February 15, DSM announced in a release Monday. Sijbesma is leaving the company after 20 years on the Managing Board and 13 years of service as the firm’s CEO to explore “other business and personal roles.” He will remain with DSM until May 1, 2020 to assist in the leadership transition.
“We are very grateful for Feike’s tremendous contribution to DSM during his 32-year career at the company and most specifically his last 13 years as CEO. Under Feike’s visionary leadership, DSM transformed itself into a healthy, high performing, sustainable, and innovative company,” said Rob Routs, chairman of DSM’s Supervisory Board, in a statement. “Feike has demonstrated that a company can deliver financial and sustainability returns while creating value and purpose for all stakeholders.”
During Sijbesma’s tenure, he helped to strengthen the firm’s non-core bulk chemical activities, particularly nutrition and materials, according to DSM. The executive also helped the company to create a total shareholders return of about 400%.
“It has been a huge privilege to serve DSM for such a long time. I am deeply grateful to our board, all my DSM colleagues and business partners for working closely together and for their enormous commitment and contribution,” Sijbesma said in the release. “I also thank our customers and shareholders for their trust and loyalty.”
Matchett and de Vreeze were appointed co-CEOs by DSM’s Supervisory Board after the company consulted an international search firm. The dual leadership structure was created because the two executives have a long history of collaboration together, according to DSM. Following the transition, Matchett will retain her role as the company’s CFO and de Vreeze will continue to serve as COO.
“It’s a great honor to serve DSM. We are excited to combine our mutual strengths as Co-CEOs, to ensure the continuation of DSM’s successful journey, creating brighter lives for all, and to lead our innovative, science-based company that has sustainability at its core,” Matchett and de Vreeze said in a joint statement. “We are convinced that together we can deliver success for the company. Feike has demonstrated remarkable leadership, and we look forward to building further on his legacy.”
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