International food retailer Ahold Delhaize announced today the appointment of Alex Holt as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) and member of the Executive Committee. She succeeds Jan Ernst de Groot, the company’s first CSO, appointed in 2022, who recently announced plans to retire in May 2024.

Ahold Delhaize appointed de Groot as its first CSO in 2022. The announcement marks Ahold Delhaize’s first appointment of a dedicated Chief Sustainability Officer, with de Groot simultaneously serving as the company’s Chief Legal Officer.

Holt will join Ahold Delhaize from Woolworths Group, Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailer, where she currently serves as Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Committee member. She joined Woolworths in 2011, and has held a number of positions at the company, including General Manager of Sustainability, Health and Quality, before taking on the CSO role in 2021. Prior to joining Woolworths, Holt worked at Tesco in a number of roles in business improvement, merchandising and sourcing.

Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said:

“I am very happy that Alex will join our Executive Committee as our new Chief Sustainability Officer. She brings relevant experience from a food retail, business leadership and sustainability perspective. She is a sharp thinker and inspiring leader with a deep understanding of the challenges and impact that this role brings in a food retail company with ambitions with regard to health, nature, and climate.”

In her new role, Holt will drive the vision and strategy on sustainability in line with the company’s group strategy, accelerate focus and collaboration across the organization and its supply chain, and will be responsible for building and developing sustainability capabilities and mindsets within the brands and support organizations as well as providing thought leadership, expertise, and support to the executive team and the brands.

Holt said:

“I am very excited to join Ahold Delhaize, a company that wants to contribute positively to the transition to a sustainable food system. I am looking forward to partnering with the executive team, sustainability and business leaders across the company and across the industry to tackle the challenges that we face together, and seize the opportunities that create the biggest impact.”