ZANDAAM, The Netherlands, Jan. 7, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Executive Board of Ahold, the international food provider, today announced the appointment of Jeroen Smits as Executive Vice President, Buying & Merchandising at its Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn, effective January 8, 2002.
Albert Heijn is Ahold's flagship supermarket company in The Netherlands with approximately 700 stores and sales of over Euro 5.5 billion. The company is the number-one Dutch food retailer.
Smits is currently President and CEO of Gall & Gall, Ahold's successful Dutch chain of wine and liquor stores. He has extensive retail management experience. As EVP Buying & Merchandising at Albert Heijn, Smits will be responsible for all procurement and marketing activities. Smits succeeds Tom Heidman, who, after 15 years in various senior management positions at Ahold, is stepping down at his own request.
Following Smits' appointment, the Albert Heijn Executive Board consists of the following members: Dick Boer, President and CEO; Ronald van Zetten, Store Operations; Joost Sliepenbeek, Finance; Sjaak Kranendonk, Human Resources; and Jeroen Smits, Buying & Merchandising.
Appointment at Gall & Gall
Effective mid-March 2002, the Executive Board of Ahold has appointed Sander van der Laan as President & CEO of Gall & Gall, the largest Dutch chain of wine and liquor stores with 490 outlets. Van der Laan is currently responsible for various fresh product groups at Albert Heijn.
Ahold
Ahold has annualized sales of approximately Euro 65 billion generated in 28 countries. Each week the company services over 40 million individual customers and their families. The company employs over 450,000 associates worldwide. Ahold is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AHO. Ahold stock is also traded on the Euronext Exchanges of Amsterdam (symbol AHLN) Paris and Brussels (AHLD) and on the Zurich exchange (Ahold).
This Ahold press release contains "forward-looking statements". Actual results may differ from such statements as they may have been influenced by factors beyond the company's ability to control, as more fully discussed in the company's annual report.