Van Loon Group has had a ‘one-tier board’ since 2018. Our board consists of executive directors and non-executive directors. All non-executive directors are considered independent. The executive directors together form the group management.
The Group Executive Board sets the policy and business strategy, including objectives, for the Van Loon Group. This is done every five years for the medium term and annually for the short term. Our sustainability strategy is an integral part of the business strategy. Within the Group Executive Board, the CSO is responsible for drawing up and implementing the sustainability strategy.
Sustainability is a regular item on the agenda of board meetings. At these meetings, the CSO briefs the board on the latest developments in the field of sustainability.
The board bears overall responsibility for overseeing the strategy and objectives, including annual planning and budgets. The board reviews progress against the strategy and objectives at least six times a year.
Board meetings are held regularly at the Van Loon Group’s head office. In addition, the non-executive directors also visit the Van Loon Group’s sites on an individual basis, enabling them to better assess operations and meet the local management teams.
There are various committees within the board. The overview on this page shows which board member sits on which committee. All the committees listed below meet at least once a year.
In accordance with the Articles of Association, directors are appointed by the General Meeting of Members for a maximum term of four years. The Nomination Committee makes a recommendation for this based on a profile drawn up by them and a careful selection procedure. Reappointment is possible provided the director meets the profile requirements and following approval by the shareholders. In 2025, there were no changes to the composition of the board.
The Remuneration Committee aligns the incentive schemes for management with the objectives of the business strategy and the objectives of the sustainability strategy. The incentive schemes are designed to challenge management to achieve these objectives and to increase shareholder value. All incentive schemes include at least one objective that is directly linked to sustainability.
The Audit Committee’s primary role is to support the Board in overseeing the quality and integrity of financial and sustainability reporting, compliance with laws and regulations, and the effectiveness of internal control and risk management systems.
The Nomination Committee assesses the structure, size and composition of the Board and advises the Board on the appointment of new executive and non-executive directors.
The ESG Committee (Environment, Social, Governance) meets at least twice a year to assess the progress of the sustainability strategy and to advise the board on this matter. In doing so, the ESG Committee takes into account the company’s set objectives, culture, mission and core values. The Committee is also tasked with evaluating the IROs (Impacts, Risks, Opportunities) as well as climate-related risks and opportunities.
The sustainability strategy is an integral part of the business strategy. To ensure this is properly embedded within the organisation, a practical structure has been established in the form of a CSR team comprising CSR Ambassadors. These ambassadors come from various departments across the company. The CSR team is led by the CSO and is responsible for the CSR objectives and their implementation.The CSR team assists with the assessment of IRRs and climate-related risks and opportunities
The CSR ambassadors act as subject matter experts, drivers and first points of contact for their specific CSR theme(s). They are responsible for achieving the CSR objectives and reporting on them in a timely manner. The role of CSR ambassador is not a formal position.
Composition of the board
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Appointed in October 2022
Membership committee E
Robert has had a long career in the dairy industry. He was a board member at Royal FrieslandCampina and COO at Royal A-ware.
His career has been characterised by successful collaboration within the agri-food supply chain. Robert has experience in B2B and FMCG. He has a strong focus on organic growth and mergers and acquisitions. Strategy development and business improvement are key areas of his work, as is inspiring and bringing staff together.
Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
Appointed in 2018 (CTO), 2025 (CSO)
Membership committee E
Roland joined the Van Loon Group in 1993 and is a member of the Executive Board. From 2018 to 2024, as CTO, he was responsible for Q&A, SHE, ICT and Technical Support, in addition to communications and sustainability.
In 2011, Roland developed VLG’s sustainability strategy and successfully rolled it out across the company.
From 2025, Roland will focus, as CSO, on further improving the sustainability of the company and its supply chains.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Appointed in 2018
Pieter has been with VLG since 2015. He started as Financial Director and has been CFO since 2018. Prior to that, he worked as a chartered accountant at Joanknecht & Van Zelst, specialising in financial, legal and corporate finance matters.
In his role as CFO, Pieter has a proven track record in dealing with complex issues relating to mergers and acquisitions. He also has extensive experience in (re)financing, taxation and insurance.
Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO)
Appointed in december 2022
John has spent many years working for various FMCG companies, such as Heinz and Royal FrieslandCampina.
He has gained experience in both B2B and FMCG sectors. He possesses extensive knowledge and experience in cultural change management and has a proven track record in aligning employees with the company’s strategic direction by fostering the right working environment.
Chief Operational Officer (COO)
Appointed in january 2025
Maarten has gained many years of (international) experience, including at Heineken.
His most recent role was Managing Director of Heineken Netherlands.
Maarten has extensive knowledge and experience in the integrated management of Operations and the Supply Chain. Process and performance optimisation are his specialities. He is skilled at achieving efficiency improvements through strong people management. Building successful teams has been a hallmark of his career.
Chairman of the Board
Appointed in 2018
Membership committee R, N
Erik joined the Van Loon Group in 1988 and has been the sole owner of the company since 2002. Under his leadership, the company has experienced tremendous growth and has become a leading player in the Dutch food industry.
Until 2018, Erik was the company’s Managing Director. Since 2019, Erik has been a (non-executive) voorzitter van het bestuur.
Board member
Appointed in 2010
Membership committee N
Bas is an experienced director with extensive experience in the financial sector and in the field of mergers and acquisitions, both in the Netherlands and internationally. Until 2013, Bas worked as an Investment Director at NPM Capital and has been active as an independent director, adviser and coach since 2014.
Board member
Appointed in 2010
Membership committee R, N, E, A
Diederik has a background in law and business administration. From 1992 to 2012, he worked at Van Gansewinkel Groep, a leading waste management company in the Netherlands, serving as COO for the last seven years of that period. Since then, he has been working as an independent non-executive director, adviser and coach for various family-run businesses.
Board member
Appointed in 2018
Membership committee N, E, A
Until 2022, Herman was Managing Director and CFO at Vanderlande Industries, a global leader in logistics process automation for warehouses, airports and parcel services. Prior to that, he held a number of senior management roles at Stork Industries. In addition to his financial background, Herman has extensive experience in leading strategic initiatives, integrations and business transformations. Since 2022, Herman has been an independent consultant in the field of sustainable business.
Board member
Appointed in 2023
Membership committee R, N
In addition to her role as a human capital consultant at Innovation Industries, Marielle works as an independent director, consultant and coach for various companies.
Prior to this, she held various senior HR roles at Hema, Randstad and General Electric. She has extensive experience in the fields of human capital, leadership and organisation, both in the Netherlands and internationally.