Stef Kranendijk Leaves Desso to Help Implement the Circular Economy* in Other Industry Sectors
Stef Kranendijk Leaves Desso to Help Implement the Circular Economy* in Other Industry Sectors
AsiaNet 52888
WAALWIJK, The Netherlands, May 2, 2013/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --
After 6 years at Desso, first 5 1/2 years as CEO and later 1/2 year as
Chairman of the company and the Supervisory Board, Stef Kranendijk has decided
to leave Desso to pursue other options via which he will be better able to help
implement the Circular Economy* in other Industry Sectors.
Stef Kranendijk joined Desso on April 2, 2007 as co-owner and CEO and since
then has been instrumental in repositioning Desso as one of the leading carpet
companies in Europe by implementing a clear and successful innovation strategy
focused on creative design, functionality and sustainability leading to
significant growth of the company. In the process, Stef has been a vocal and
public advocate of transforming the linear economy into a circular one, the
Cradle to Cradle(R) approach, and has put Desso on an irreversible path to
sustainable entrepreneurship.
Following this transformation and the completion of the leadership
transition to the new CEO, Alexander Collot d'Escury, Stef has decided to leave
Desso. Stef intends to continue focusing on implementing profitable strategies
at other companies based on corporate social responsibility, in particular
promoting the Circular Economy*. This move is in parallel to Stef's recent
election as Chairman of De Groene Zaak, a group of more than 155 companies that
are leaders in bringing sustainability in the centre of their business strategy
given that this also leads to better financial results.
Eric-Joost Ernst, who will succeed Stef as Chairman of the Supervisory
Board, comments: "The Supervisory Board and the Executive Board are very
grateful for Stef's huge contribution to Desso over the past six years. We will
miss his strategic insight, his inspiration, his focus on results, commercial
drive and passion for the environment, but his conceptions will live on in
Desso's strategy. We wish Stef all the best for the future."
Stef Kranendijk comments: "I have had a fantastic, transformational, time
at Desso and am highly impressed with the quality of the people at Desso and
the speed by which the whole organization was able to transform itself from a
regular carpet and artificial grass manufacturer to a highly innovative and
successful company with a focus on innovation, geographical expansion and
communication. Innovation has been driven by Creativity to foster superior
design, Functionality to improve quality of life and Cradle to Cradle(R) to
rethink design, improve health and promote the circular economy*. I know I
leave Desso in excellent leadership hands with Alexander Collot d'Escury as CEO
and Tom Francken as CFO with their hands on the steering wheel. I wish all the
people who I worked with so well a great future and I will miss them."
Stef has become a thought leader on the effectiveness of Cradle to
Cradle(R) in turning the linear economy in a circular economy* speaking at many
occasions to CEO's and government leaders (eg. most recently at The World
Economic Forum in Davos), to architects, end users and opinion leaders. Stef
has also regularly presented the 'Desso Case' to students at executive programs
at the London Business School, Cranfield University, Exeter University, IMD
Lausanne, Rotterdam School of Management and at many other occasions, thereby
making the point that companies putting sustainability/Cradle to Cradle(R) at
the heart of their business strategy will prosper.
Next to his Chairmanship of De Groene Zaak, Stef is also Chairman of the
Amsterdam Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum), Member of the Board of the
Rotterdam Sustainability Initiative financing the Cradle to Cradle(R) Chair at
Rotterdam School of Management, Member of the Board of the Ubbo Emmius Fund at
the University of Groningen and is active in several other Boards.
Note: * We currently live in a linear economy where products turn into
waste for landfill or incineration (to burn the waste). In the circular economy
we strive to design and make products of pure materials and in such a way that
they are easy to disassemble after use. This way the components and its raw
materials can be re-used again and again.
Website: http://www.desso.com
SOURCE: Desso Holding BV
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