East-West Seed announced that April 1, 2023 Douwe Zijp will step down as CEO and Jean-Christophe (JC) Filippi will step in according to a release.
“Under Douwe’s leadership our new corporate strategy was launched, and our governance structure and company culture were strengthened,” said Ard Groot, chairman of the supervisory board. “Douwe’s purpose-driven and people-oriented leadership has been an inspiration to us all and I want to thank him in the name of our shareholder families and the Supervisory Board. We are very happy that JC Filippi will be joining East-West Seed in April. He brings extensive experience in international agribusiness to our team. With him as CEO East-West Seed will be led by a managing board consisting of six people, three men and three women from six different nationalities. As the chairman I’m very proud to see this much diversity in the company.”
“When I joined East-West Seed as CEO in 2020, we knew this to be only for a few years,” said Zijp. “I am glad to continue my involvement by rejoining the supervisory board. I leave East-West Seed in the hands of a very capable successor.”
Filippi has both senior leadership and business development experience in a variety of fields. He held prior roles as president of Asia Pacific at Phibro Animal Health Corporation, managing director roles at Cargill and CEO of the Gold Coin Group.
“Living close to East-West Seed’s headquarters in Bangkok, I have long admired the company and its mission to serve smallholder farmers,” said Filippi. “The company is deeply rooted in its purpose with a long-term commitment of its founders and shareholders. I am very much looking forward to leading the team through the next phase of growth, building on its current strategy to grow people and markets, with innovation and sustainability as foundation.”
The managing board members are as follows:
Katalin Pákozdi (Chief Research and Development Officer)
Ratiporn Ratcharoen (Chief Finance Officer)
Cathlea Barote (Chief People Officer)
Dilip Rajan (Chief Operating Officer)
Joost van Elzakker (Chief Commercial Officer)
