ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Linn Evans has taken up a new position amongst Ahold Delhaize’s corporate ranks as the retailer announces him as the Chief Legal Officer, effective April 15, 2024. The decision to appoint Evans as the CLO comes as Jan Ernst de Groot, the current Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, has decided to retire on May 31, 2024.

Evans currently holds the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Ahold Delhaize USA. As noted in the release, Evans has over 32 years of legal experience, with most of his career dedicated to grocery retail. He joined the Ahold Delhaize family of companies in 1998, starting as a Senior Attorney at Food Lion, and has held legal leadership positions in each of the predecessor companies.

A native of Salisbury, North Carolina, Evans holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with distinction and a law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a certified public accountant. He also is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel, and the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals.

“We’re very happy to welcome Linn to the Executive Committee. He has been with the Ahold Delhaize USA family of companies for a considerable amount of time and brings a broad range of legal and retail expertise to the role. I have come to know Linn as a sharp thinker, solutions provider, and loyal and amiable colleague over the years and look forward to working with him in his new capacity,” said Frans Muller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ahold Delhaize.

Evans’ appointment comes as de Groot announces his retirement from the Ahold Group.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Ahold Delhaize, a food retailer that is truly at the heart of society. I feel that the time is right to step back after more than nine years, during which the company has developed into a strong organization that is providing consistent value for all stakeholders while taking on the ambition of leading the transition to a sustainable food system,” commented de Groot. “I am incredibly proud of what our teams have accomplished.”

In August 2022, he became Ahold Delhaize’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, signaling the fact that Sustainability had become of such strategic importance at Ahold Delhaize that it needed to be represented at the Executive Committee level. Following de Groot’s decision, the company has decided to create a dedicated role for Sustainability in the Executive Committee, with the selection process for the Chief Sustainability Officer position already begun.

“Jan Ernst has been a true partner, for the Executive Committee and me personally, over the years. His strong sense of ethics helped guide us through some turbulent times, and with his counsel and judgement, I have always been confident that we were well-equipped to handle the challenges that came our way,” Muller stated. “With his passion and strategic insight, he has brought structure to our ambition on Sustainability, underpinning our thought leadership and performance in this area.”

Congratulations on these new chapters for Linn Evans and Jan Ernst de Groot.

Ahold Delhaize