The chief executive of Dutch retailer Ahold is to quit the business to lead engineering giant Rolls-Royce.

Ahold announced today (30 September) that John Rishton, who had been in the post for two years, would leave the business in March to become Rolls-Royce CEO.

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

Dick Boer, chief operating officer for Ahold’s European business, has been lined up to replace Rishton.

Sander van der Laan, general manager of Ahold’s flagship chain Albert Heijn, will replace Boer as COO of Ahold Europe.

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