The former CEO and CFO of Dutch retailer Ahold have agreed to pay a combined EUR5.6m (US$7.9m) to settle claims dating back to the company’s accounting scandal of 2003.

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


Former chief executive Cees Van der Hoeven will pay Ahold EUR5m and give up his EUR4.5m claim against the company.


Ex-Ahold CFO Michiel Meurs has struck a similar deal; he will pay Ahold EUR600,000 and waive hid claim of over EUR2m against the retailer.


The settlements date from 2003 when Ahold went to the brink of bankruptcy. Both men resigned and it then emerged that the company had overstated earnings by over EUR1bn from 1999 to 2002.


Last year, Van der Hoeven and Meurs were fined by a Dutch court and given 9-month suspended sentences, a decision under appeal by both sides.

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