Royal DSM announced that Rob Routs will retire as chairman and member of the DSM Supervisory Board at the close of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 6, 2021. The Supervisory Board appointed Thomas Leysen to succeed him as chairman. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board nominates Corien M. Wortmann-Kool to join as a new Supervisory Board member.
Rob Routs has been a member of the DSM Supervisory Board since April 2010 and chairman since May 2011. He was reappointed for a final term by the 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to facilitate a smooth transfer and continuity to the new co-CEO leadership structure. When Rob Routs took over, DSM had successfully transformed from a chemical company into a Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company. Under his guidance DSM continued the restructuring of its portfolio and its evolution into the purpose-led, performance-driven Nutrition, Health & Sustainable Living company it is today. Thomas Leysen (1960, Belgian national) joined the Supervisory Board in 2020 and will succeed Rob Routs after the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
Rob Routs, outgoing chairman of the DSM Supervisory Board, said, “I am incredibly grateful to have served ten years as chairman and eleven years as member of the Supervisory Board of this incredible company. Geraldine and Dimitri have taken up their new joint role seamlessly and I am proud that DSM is now well-positioned to capitalize on its long-term strategy, to use its science-based capabilities to create a positive impact and to deliver value for all stakeholders. I am pleased and feel very comfortable to hand-over to Thomas Leysen, whose experience will support DSM’s leadership on the company’s on-going journey to create brighter lives for all.”
The nomination of Corien M. Wortmann-Kool will strengthen the Supervisory Board’s profile in the areas of finance, accounting, auditing and risk. Her nomination will also help maintain the Supervisory Board’s strong profile in the areas of sustainability, governance, compliance and public affairs. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in finance and economics at the executive level, as well as the national and international societal and political context that companies operate in.
