Executive Board and Committee

Chairman of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Yoram Knoop (1969, Dutch nationality) joined ForFarmers in November 2013 and was appointed CEO of ForFarmers N.V. with effect from 1 January 2014 (then ForFarmers B.V.). As chairman of the Executive Committee he is ultimately responsible for all strategic and operational affairs.

His current contract is for a period of four years until the AGM in 2022, when he will be eligible for reappointment for another four-year term. By virtue of his position he is a member of the Steering Group of the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC).

Before joining ForFarmers Yoram Knoop was managing director of an operating company in the Cargill group, which focuses on the production of premixes for animal nutrition and for other companies. Yoram Knoop has a degree in Business Administration. He has experience in commercial, operational and general management positions at quoted, private and private-equity companies in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States (Provimi, Quest, Owens Corning).

Member of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Arnout Traas (1959, Dutch nationality) has worked for ForFarmers as CFO since August 2011. He oversees the Control/Finance, Information Technology (IT), Legal Affairs, Risk Management, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Investor Relations departments. At the AGM of 2016 a term of four years was attached to his appointment, ending at the end of the AGM of 2020. In June 2019 Arnout Traas announced he would not be standing for reappointment at the AGM of 2020 and would be leaving ForFarmers at that time.

Arnout Traas is a chartered accountant and worked for FrieslandCampina before joining ForFarmers, in the disciplines M&A and Finance. Prior to that he gained extensive experience in all financial disciplines, at both quoted and private companies (including Vendex, Mars and Arthur Andersen).

Member of Executive Board and Executive Committee
Adrie van der Ven (1963, Dutch nationality) has been employed by ForFarmers as a director (COO) since February 2016. During the year under review he was responsible for ForFarmers’ activities in Germany and Poland, and for the further international expansion of ForFarmers in new regions. Adrie van der Ven has a contract for a term of four years up until the AGM of 2023, when he will be eligible for reappointment for another four-year term.

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

Member of Executive Committee
David Fousert (1978, Dutch nationality) joined ForFarmers in 2016 as director of the Ruminants business unit at ForFarmers Netherlands. As of 1 January 2019 he is COO and responsible for the business units Reudink, Pavo and ForFarmers Belgium. His employment contract is permanent.

After obtaining a degree in Pharmacy David Fousert gained broad experience in various international management positions in the food and agri business at Cargill.

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

Arthur van Och has a master’s degree in Business Studies. Prior to joining ForFarmers he held national and international management positions at AB InBev, Accenture and Philips. He gained extensive international supply chain experience during his 13 years at AB InBev.

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 is a member of the Executive Committee since July 2014. Until the end of 2017 he was Supply Chain director. Since 1 January 2018 he has held the position of director (COO) of ForFarmers in the UK with responsibility for the company’s activities there. Steven Read’s employment contract is permanent.

Steven Read grew up on a dairy farm in the United Kingdom. After taking a degree in Agriculture with a specialisation in animal nutrition he joined Pauls Agriculture, which (as part of BOCM PAULS) was subsequently taken over by ForFarmers in 2012. He has held both commercial and general management positions, headed up a large number of change projects and was directly involved in the sale of BOCM PAULS to ForFarmers.

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

Stijn Steendijk studied business administration and has held commercial, HR and general management positions at companies including L’Oreal, 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
Pieter Wolleswinkel (1977, Dutch nationality) joined ForFarmers in 2014 as director of the  business unit North at ForFarmers Germany. During 2018 Pieter Wolleswinkel was the director of the Swine business unit at ForFarmers Netherlands. As of 1 January 2019 he is COO and responsible for ForFarmers Netherlands. Pieter Wolleswinkel’s employment contract is permanent.

Pieter Wolleswinkel grew up on a mixed farm. He has a degree in Veterinary Medicine and an MBA. After graduating he practiced as a veterinary doctor for a number of years before moving to international leadership positions at Provimi. 

Member of Executive Committee
On 1 March 2020 Roeland Tjebbes was appointed to the ForFarmers Executive Committee. At the end of November 2019 the Supervisory Board nominated Roeland Tjebbes to be appointed by the AGM on 24 April 2020 as member of the Executive Board in the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for a period of four years, as successor of Arnout Traas.

Roeland Tjebbes (1969, Dutch Nationality) started his career as accountant. After a few years he started on a career in various companies in financial management positions. He attained broad experience in the food and the feed sector at companies including Perfetti Van Melle, Nutreco and Vion. His most recent position was CFO at Hoogwegt Group. Roeland Tjebbes has a degree in business economics from the University of Maastricht and also attained a postgraduate degree as chartered accountant from Tilburg University.