dsm-firmenich announces the appointment of Katharina Stenholm as Chief Sustainability Officer, effective July 1, 2023. In this role, she will develop a new, consolidated environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy for the company, building on the strengths of DSM's and Firmenich's previous plans and actions.
Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, co-CEOs of dsm-firmenich, commented: " We are delighted to welcome Katharina as our new Sustainability Director. She is widely recognized as an outstanding leader and innovator in the ESG field, and her vast experience and expertise will be invaluable in helping us achieve our goal. With her guidance and leadership, we are confident that we will have a positive impact on people and the planet, while building sustainable business growth. ".
Under Katharina's leadership, the company will begin to revise ambitious, measurable targets and plans to achieve them quickly in order to bring its goal to life. Building on DSM and Firmenich's strong approaches to sustainability, she will use her skills and experience to lead the development of a solid ESG strategy for DSM-Firmenich, creating sustainable value for all stakeholders.
" I firmly believe that actions speak louder than words. "said Katharina Stenholm. " DSM and Firmenich are both historical leaders in ESG and have the credentials to prove it. dsm-firmenich brings together over 150 years of passion, experience and progress and I feel privileged to be able to shape the next chapter of the company's ESG adventure. I'm delighted to be joining a team that's up to the challenge and, together with our customers, partners and employees, we're ready to accelerate our positive impact. By combining what is essential, desirable and sustainable, we can bring progress to life and create a brighter future for all. ".
Katharina is a seasoned executive with extensive expertise in general management, procurement, sustainability and trade. She joins from PepsiCo, where she headed the European sustainability function. Previously, she held various positions at Danone, including Vice President Strategic Projects, General Manager DanTrade and General Manager Global Purchasing, where she was responsible for sustainability. She also held various positions at SabMiller, including global CEO, and was CEO of a food ingredients company in the Nordic countries, with worldwide sales.
Over the years, Katharina has established herself as a recognized leader in change management. Her expertise lies in leading market entry, transformation and business model redesign programs. She has in-depth knowledge of the entire food value chain, with a particular focus on sustainability and circular economy practices.
Katharina holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the Helsinki University of Technology in Finland.
dsm-firmenich is determined to continually expand its positive impact and set new standards to address the pressing issues of climate change, nature protection and social responsibility throughout the value chain. Working with customers and partners, dsm-firmenich is committed to proactively addressing current and future challenges, while making a positive difference to the planet and improving the lives of millions of people.
