Ahold Delhaize held its annual general meeting April 12 in a hybrid set-up, meaning shareholders attended and asked questions in-person and virtually. Attendees adopted all proposals on the agenda, including the company’s 2022 financial statements and reappointments to the management and supervisory boards.
The meeting was attended by 136 shareholders, representing approximately 660 million shares. The meeting was webcast live via the Ahold Delhaize website. Shareholders joining virtually were asked to vote up front and were offered the opportunity to ask questions via virtual participation. In-person attendees could vote in advance or during the meeting.
Shareholders adopted Ahold Delhaize’s 2022 financial statements and agreed to the proposed 2022 annual dividend of €1.05 per common share for the full year. An amount of €0.46 per common share was paid as interim dividend on Sept. 1. The remaining amount of €0.59 per common share shall be payable on April 27. KPMG was appointed as the external auditor for the financial year 2024.
Reappointments
In addition, the meeting approved the reappointment of Frans Muller as a member of the management board, and of Peter Agnefjäll, Bill McEwan and Katie Doyle as members of the supervisory board. Frans Muller will continue to serve as president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize and Peter Agnefjäll will continue as chair of the supervisory board.
During his speech, Muller said: “When I look back at 2022, I conclude that our efforts resulted in solid results, mainly due to our performance in the U.S. market. Our financial stability is important, because only a healthy company can continue to invest in innovation, sustainability, digitalization and stores.
“Our ‘Leading Together’ strategy drives everything we do, and as part of that, we want to make healthy and sustainable products accessible to everyone. To get there, we will collaborate with our partners to contribute to creating a more sustainable supply chain.
“And of course all of this starts with our associates. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the local teams, at the brands, in the distribution centers and at the offices – who provide the dedication, energy and drive that our customers keep coming back for. You make our company to what it is; thank you.”
New appointments
Shareholders approved the appointment of JJ Fleeman as a new member of the management board and Julia Vander Ploeg as a new member of the supervisory board.
Fleeman succeeds Kevin Holt as CEO of Ahold Delhaize. Fleeman has been with Ahold Delhaize companies for 30 years, and since May 2018, he has served as the president of Peapod Digital Labs and the chief commercial and digital officer of Ahold Delhaize USA.
“Today, I’m humbled by the opportunity to take on a new role as CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA,” Fleeman said.
“I started my career more than 30 years ago in grocery retail, and I have a great passion for this business, helping customers access affordable, healthy and sustainable food. I look forward to collaborating with many others across the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA – and leveraging our scale as a global retailer – as we create great places to work for our teams, deliver innovation in food, technology and the customer experience at each local brand, and drive a culture of belonging for everyone.”
Julia Vander Ploeg currently serves on the board of directors of Extra Space Storage, where she sits on the audit and compensation committees, and is a director of Neighborly Inc. Before that, she was SVP, global head of digital and technology for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, worked for Volvo Car Corporation and was VP of digital for McDonald’s U.S.A.
