Ahold Delhaize CFO Jeff Carr to depart

Jeff Carr, chief financial officer of Ahold Delhaize, is slated to leave the company next spring.

The Zaandam, Netherlands-based global food retailer said Monday that Carr won’t stand for another term as a member of its management board when his current term expires in April 2020 at the company’s annual shareholders meeting.

A search for a new CFO is under way, Ahold Delhaize said.

“I respect Jeff’s decision and wish him and his family all the best for the future,” President and CEO Frans Muller said in a statement. “I would like to recognize Jeff for his significant contributions to the company, as he remains a great partner in helping shape Ahold Delhaize, in driving our ‘Save for our Customers’ program and in delivering on our commitments. I look forward to our continued collaboration through next April as we further implement our ‘Leading Together Strategy’.” 

Carr (left) joined Royal Ahold in November 2011 as executive vice president and CFO. He became CFO of Ahold Delhaize in July 2016 with the completion of Royal Ahold’s $29 billion merger with Brussels-based food retailer Delhaize Group.

Starting his career at Unilever, Carr later held senior roles in finance at Grand Metropolitan plc, Reckitt Benckiser and Associated British Foods. From 2005 to 2009, he served as group finance director and a board member at airline easyJet plc. In September 2009, he joined FirstGroup plc, a transport operator in the United Kingdom and the United States, as group finance director and a board member before coming to Royal Ahold two years later.

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“It has been a pleasure to serve this great company and its associates during the last eight years,” Carr stated. “I look forward to continue working with Frans to ensure a smooth transition and to help identify my successor.”

In fiscal 2018, Ahold Delhaize’s sales dipped 0.2% to €62.79 billion ($71.38 billion) from €62.89 billion ($71.49 billion), but at constant exchange rates the company saw sales growth of 2.5%. At Ahold Delhaize USA, the retailer’s largest business unit, net sales rose 1.9% to $44.17 billion, including 10.3% gain in online sales to $886 million. The company’s U.S. arm includes supermarket chains Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Giant/Martin’s, Food Lion and Hannaford, as well as online grocer Peapod.