In this episode, I sat down with Wouter Kolk, CEO of Europe and Indonesia at Ahold Delhaize, to discuss the latest trends in talent, leadership, transformation, and diversity.
Wouter shared his personal journey, from joining Ahold Delhaize to leaving the company to expand his horizon, returning, and the valuable lessons he learned along the way. He also shed light on the impact of the pandemic on retail businesses and the various transformations they went through to adapt to the changing times.
One of the highlights of the conversation was Wouter’s unique approach to hiring talents and his team’s out-of-the-box way of interviewing candidates. He also shared how joining the fashion industry gave him a better understanding of diversity and the importance of creating a culture of inclusion.
We wrapped up the episode with Wouter’s recipe for success, which includes taking care of his physical and mental health.
Tune in to the full episode to gain insights from Wouter’s extensive experience and leadership expertise.
Listen to the full discussion here:
Connect with the Guest:
Wouter Kolk is currently the Chief Executive Officer Europe and Indonesia; Member Management Board and Executive Committee of Ahold Delhaize
Wouter has been the Chief Operating Officer in the Netherlands and Belgium and a member of the Executive Committee of Ahold Delhaize since September 8, 2017.
Wouter re-joined Ahold in 2013 as Executive Vice President of Specialty Stores and New Markets at Albert Heijn following a six-year period as CEO of international retailer WE Fashion. He became CEO Albert Heijn in January 2015.
Wouter first started at Ahold in 1991, and over the next 16 years, served in several international commercial and general management roles, including Commercial Director Asia-Pacific based in Singapore, Regional Director Albert Heijn, General Manager Gall & Gall, and General Manager of Etos.
Wouter is a member of the Advisory Board of The Lead Network to Advance Diversity and a member of the Board of the Amsterdam Economic Forum.
Questions I Asked:
- Can you share with us your journey of joining Ahold Delhaize, leaving, and then coming back?
- What are the main changes you’ve seen in the organization? What transformation did you go through?
- What are the biggest learnings you have as a leader?
- Can you share with us a bit about you being part of the advisory board of the league network?
- What is your recipe for success? And how do you take care of your health?
Show notes:
- [00:44] Tell us a little bit about your career journey with Ahold Delhaize.
- [05:14] How did the team deal with disruptions? What was your transformation journey? What change have you seen?
- [11:54] What are the biggest learnings you had as a leader? Is there a secret sauce to becoming a successful leader?
- [17:32] Tell us a little about your other hat as part of the advisory board of the league network.
- [20:29] What is your recipe for success? And how do you take care of your health?
Quotes from the Episode:
Soundbite from the Episode:
About the Host:
What a great conversation with Wouter Kolk! I am your host, Stéphanie Moles-Rota, Managing Director for Benelux and France at Alcott Global. As an executive search professional, I bring experience from start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. I am driven by a strong commitment to embodying my Talent philosophy and sharing my visionary leadership with clients, partners, and my extensive international network.
Alcott Global provides Executive Search Solutions for key positions at all pillars of the end-to-end value chain: planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, and overall supply chain operations.
Meet us in Singapore on April 18 and Zurich on May 16 at the Makers & Movers face-to-face events. We bring together value chain executives to connect, collaborate, and innovate—a forum focused on business value creation.
We look forward to celebrating and awarding the Top 30 Leaders in Supply Chain of 2024 for their achievements in digitizing operations, decarbonization, sustainability, and creating a diverse and equitable environment for supply chain teams to thrive and excel.
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