Dutch retail giant Ahold is to appoint Tesco executive Jesper Lauridsen to head up its operations in the Czech Republic.

Lauridsen, who was appointed sales director for Tesco’s Czech operations in May 2010, is understood to be taking over from Jan van Dam on 1 April. A spokesperson for Ahold declined to provide details on the appointment. An official announcement is due next week, the retailer said.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

Van Dam will move to a role within Ahold’s US operations, according to the Czech Economic Times.

The retailer saw its operating profit in the Czech Republic and Slovakia increase 5% in 2012. Comparable-store sales growth, however, was down 2.3%, with revenues in the Czech Republic impacted by “weaker consumer buying power” after an increase in the main VAT rate, Ahold said. 

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