Director of Strategy

FrieslandCampina is a global leader in nutritious dairy products and sustainable longterm relationships with their farmers, that contribute to a better society. The Corporate Strategy team ensures the enterprise is future proof. Moreover, the Director of Strategy works on cross-group projects, mergers and takeovers. 

About FrieslandCampina

FrieslandCampina is an FMCG- and B2B player who produces and sells consumer products such as dairy drinks, children’s nutrition, ingredients, cheese and desserts in over one hundred countries. Well-known brands are Campina milk, Mona desserts, Chocomel, Fristi, Milner cheese, Friesche Vlag coffee milk, and Optimel drinks yoghurt. The enterprise services the chain from the grass to the glass, and also companies in the hospitality business, and food producers, like restaurants, hotels and industrial bakeries. 

The enterprise is one of the biggest dairy cooperations in the world, with over 20,000 employees and a turnover of over one billon euros in 2020. The enterprise has local offices in 38 countries, with a main office in Amersfoort. Its four business units within FrieslandCampina are focused on Food & Beverage (Consumer & Professional Dairy), Specialized Nutrition, Ingredients and Trading. 

The over 17,000 dairy farmers that deliver milk to FrieslandCampina are a cooperation, not only of suppliers, but they also have a stake in the company. Both parties are very involved with one another and focused on long term joint success. 

“At FrieslandCampina we value our culture. That means we are looking for people who are goal oriented and who recognize themselves in our values. We are on the lookout for commercially minded candidates who work swiftly and vigorously, who take ownership and who focus on what is good for FrieslandCampina in general.” Hein Schumacher, CEO.

Vacancy: Director of Strategy

The Director of Strategy mainly focuses on the strategic priorities of the Board, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Leadership team (ELT). They work in a small team of other strategy professionals and former consultants of top companies. Previous and current employees have experience at top Consultancies such as McKinsey, Bain, Boston Consulting Group, Marakon and Kearney. Together they form the core strategy team at FrieslandCampina. The team in its center of excellence in terms of its strategic skills and they set the standard for the others in the organization. 

The Director of Strategy makes use of the broader organization in order to create a dedicated team with the right mix of capacities and expertise. In other cases they will have a more supporting and steering role, where the organization works for them. The Director of Strategy has the flexibility to manage different teams and people, and to add value thanks to both their hands-off and hands-on approach. 

The Director of Strategy reports directly to the Group Director Corporate Development (Hein Brenninkmeijer) and has direct exposure to Senior Management. In terms of the board think of the Board of Directors, Business Group Presidents and R&D’s Corporate Directors, Supply Chain and IT. The Director of Strategy is expected to play a pivotal part as an autonomous sparring partner to Senior Management, both on Board and ELT level. 

Strategic projects for the board
“Due to the diverse nature of their projects the Director of Strategy will get to know many members of staff in our organization and familiarize themselves with all aspects of our company. That makes this role an ideal landing spot to get to know it, before taking the leap into the business.”

The Director of Strategy is also involved in projects that have to do with cross-business and that call for a holistic, company-wide perspective. For this project they work together with the four Business Group Presidents, responsible for Food & Beverage (Consumer Dairy & Professional Dairy), Specialized Nutrition, Ingredients and Trading. M&A is also one of their areas of focus. The Director of Strategy works closely with their Coporate M&A team, and the relevant stakeholders of the Business Group to identify and analyze opportunities when it comes to mergers and takeovers. 

Interested? 

FrieslandCampina is working withTop of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Imke Peters at imke.peters@topofminds.com.