Steven van Schilfgaarde is stepping down as CEO of Royal FloraHolland (RFH) at his own request at the end of this year. RFH's Supervisory Board (SB) will appoint Pieter Bootsma, currently Chief Value Officer and member of the Executive Board, as his successor from 1 January 2025. Steven van Schilfgaarde has been a board member since May 2016 and CEO since January 2018. From 1 January, the executive board consists of Pieter Bootsma (CEO) and David van Mechelen (CFO). RFH's Members 'Council and Employees' Council have been informed of the appointment.
Evert van Helvoort, chairman of the SB: "Steven van Schilfgaarde has managed RFH for more than two terms of four years. In so doing, he has ensured stability, continuity and trust among members, growers and buyers. Under his leadership, a cooperative strategy was formed together with the Members' Council in addition to the business strategy; the two fit together seamlessly. He has also realised many concrete milestones from a clear vision, including the digital platform Floriday, a new interpretation of the logistics platform and the transition to the Members' Council. Steven also successfully fought hard for the industry's interests during Covid and the energy crisis. Thanks to him, RFH is now set in position for success. As the SB, we are happy to have a well-versed successor, who knows the sector and the cooperative very well. He has built up intensive contacts with members, growers and buyers. With this, he knows what to expect and what is expected of him. Pieter will continue the cooperative and business strategy and take it to the next phase. From a financially healthy cooperative for members, Pieter will continue to build, together with growers and buyers, the largest international B2B-platform within the floriculture sector. In doing so, he will focus on a sustainable and future-proof sector from the RFH platform that grows with the times."
Steven van Schilfgaarde: "When I took office, RFH still had all the characteristics of a traditional auction company. Now it is a platform cooperative with both a digital and a logistics platform. Floriday has reached maturity, our logistics are organised fundamentally differently and Central Auctioning has largely been implemented. In addition, sustainability has become a priority for the sector and our cooperative, for ourselves and for growers and buyers. On a cooperative level, I am proud of the cooperation with the Members' Council, which has greatly increased members' involvement and influence. There is now also a good relationship with the trade. Together, we form an innovative and strong floriculture chain. With recent milestones such as the covenant for Floriday and a renewed organisation, now is a logical time to hand over the baton so that my successor and the renewed management team can continue to shape growth on the basis of the strategy outlined. I am incredibly proud of our employees and find and consider it an honour to have been able to take RFH and the Netherlands as the hub of the floriculture sector to a new phase."
Pieter Bootsma: "Our RFH platform, digital and logistics, is literally the heart of our organisation. The needs of our members, grower-suppliers and buyers are at the heart of our cooperative. From early 2025, we will work from a revised organisational structure and renewed management team. We will be fully geared to the specific needs of growers and buyers through Grower Value Management and Buyer Partnership Management. With this step, I expect to realise more value for our growers in the future as well. A wide range of trading opportunities coupled with efficient logistics. In addition, we will focus on shaping and completing a future plan for an attractive and sustainable healthy cooperative."
For more information:
Royal FloraHolland
www.royalfloraholland.com