Executive Board and Committee

Chairman of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Yoram Knoop (1969, Dutch nationality) has been employed by ForFarmers since November 2013 and has been CEO of ForFarmers N.V. since 1 January 2014 (at the time ForFarmers B.V.). As Chairman of the Executive Committee, he is ultimately responsible for all strategic and operational affairs. His current contract runs for a period of four years until the AGM in 2022. It will be renewable for another term of four years. On account of his position, he is a member of the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) Steering Group.

Before Yoram Knoop joined ForFarmers, he was Managing Director of one Cargill’s operating companies, which focuses on producing premixes for, amongst others, feed companies. Yoram Knoop has an MBA in business administration. He has over 25 years of experience in commercial, operational and general management positions in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States, at stock-listed, private and private-equity companies (Provimi, Quest, Owens Corning).

Member of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Arnout Traas (1959, Dutch nationality) has been employed by ForFarmers as CFO since August 2011. He oversees the departments Controlling/Finance, Information Technology, Legal Affairs, Risk Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Investor Relations. In the Annual General Meeting of 15 April 2016, a term of four years was attached to his appointment. His mandate ends at the end of the Annual General Meeting of 2020. His appointment can then be renewed for a term of four years.

Arnout Traas is a registered auditor and worked for FrieslandCampina before joining ForFarmers, in the disciplines M&A and finance. Prior to this, he built up extensive experience in all financial disciplines, in both stock listed and private companies (amongst which Vendex, Mars and Arthur Anderson).

Member of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Jan Potijk (1958, Dutch nationality) started his career with (the predecessors of) ForFarmers in August 1983, and has been a member of the Executive Committee since July 2000. In his current role as Director (COO), he is responsible for ForFarmers in the Netherlands and for the companies Vleuten-Steijn, Pavo and Reudink. In the Annual General Meeting of 15 April 2016, a term of three years was attached to his appointment. His mandate ends at the end of the Annual General Meeting of 2019. His appointment can then be renewed for a term of four years.

Jan Potijk started working at (the predecessors of) ForFarmers over 30 years ago, immediately after having graduated from the Agricultural Polytechnic, and became a member of the board at a very young age. He was intensely involved in the transition of the Company, from a regional cooperative to an international organisation. Jan Potijk knows the agricultural sector well, as he was raised on a mixed farm.

Member of Executive Committee
Steven Read (1963, British nationality) has been employed by the legal predecessor of ForFarmers in the United Kingdom since September 1986, by ForFarmers since July 2012, and a member of the Executive Committee since July 2014. Until the end of 2017, he was responsible, as Director Supply Chain, for Purchasing, Formulation, Production and Logistics. As of 1 January 2018, he is responsible for the activities of ForFarmers in the United Kingdom. The responsibilities for Supply Chain are temporarily taken over as of 1 January 2018 by the other members of the Executive Committee. Steven Read’s employment contract is permanent.

Steven Read was raised on a dairy farm in the United Kingdom. After having studied Agriculture, specialising in animal nutrition, he started at Pauls Agriculture, which was later (as part of BOCM PAULS) acquired by ForFarmers. He has held both commercial and general management positions, managed multiple change projects and was directly involved in the sale of BOCM PAULS to ForFarmers.

Member of Executive Committee
Stijn Steendijk (1969, Dutch nationality) started with ForFarmers in July 2014 as Director Strategy & Organisation. He is responsible for Marketing, Commercial Excellence, Communications, Corporate Affairs, Sustainability, the Nutrition Innovation Centre (NIC) and Human Resources (HR). His employment contract is permanent.

Stijn Steendijk studied business administration. During 25 years, he has held positions in commerce, HR and general management at, amongst others, L’Oréal, Unilever and Provimi. He has extensive experience in large-scale international change programmes, and was involved in the sale of the feed company Provimi to Cargill.

Member of Executive Committee
Adrie van der Ven (1963, Dutch nationality) has been employed by ForFarmers as a Director (COO) since 1 February 2016. He is responsible for ForFarmers’ activities in Germany and Belgium and for further international expansion of ForFarmers in new regions. His employment contract is permanent.

Prior to joining ForFarmers, Adrie van der Ven held (international) management positions at Louis Dreyfus, Nutreco and Cargill, all organisations that are active in the agricultural sector. He has studied business economics and has significant experience in M&A as managing partner of a private investment company.

Member of Executive Committee
Arthur van Och (1971, Dutch nationality) has been employed by ForFarmers since 14 May 2018 as Director Supply Chain. He is responsible for Purchasing, Formulation & Quality, Production & Logistics, Operational Excellence, Engineering & Projects as well Safety, Health & Environment.

Mr van Och has a master’s degree in business studies from the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Prior to joining ForFarmers, Arthur van Och held (international) management positions at AB InBev, Accenture and Philips. He has gained extensive international supply chain experience during 13 years at AB InBev.