Arla Foods vice CEO Povl Krogsgaard will retire at the end of the year, with his role set to be no longer used by the dairy giant.

Krogsgaard’s other position, head of Arla’s supply chain, will be filled. The Lurpak owner has named Estee Lauder executive Sami Naffakh as Krogsgaard’s replacement.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Krogsgaard will leave on 31 December after 30 years of service, and following a reorganisation last year, the company has decided not to appoint a new vice CEO or executive board member.

Naffakh will be appointed as Arla’s executive vice president and head of supply chain in January 2018. The Frenchman currently holds the position of senior vice president, global supply chain for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Estee Lauder, where he joined in 2014. Naffakh has also held leadership roles at France’s Danone Early Life Nutrition, UK consumer goods company Reckitt Benkiser and Unilever.

Arla Foods CEO Peder Tuborgh said of Naffakh’s appointment: “Sami has proven global leadership skills and a strong understanding of both consumers and the major trends and challenges facing our customers, which are critical to the successful delivery of our Good Growth 2020 strategy.” 

Krogsgaard joined Arla’s executive team in 2000 when the company merged with MD Foods, and took on the vice CEO role in 2004.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact