Dirk joined the company from McCain Foods Limited, a $9.1 billion CAD ($7.3 billion USD) privately held Canadian company that is the largest marketer and manufacturer of frozen french fries, potato specialties and appetizers with sales in more than 160 countries. Under his leadership as President and CEO since 2011, McCain has grown net sales by more than 50 percent, generating three-quarters of that growth organically, and EBITDA has grown double-digits for each of the past six years.

Before joining McCain, he was President of the Global OTC Division of Novartis Inc., a Swiss pharmaceutical company. Prior to Novartis, Dirk spent more than a decade with Groupe Danone, a maker of dairy, water, baby food and clinical nutrition products. He held various senior-level positions before becoming President of the Americas Division and joint President of the Fresh Dairy Division.

In the first 15 years of his career, Dirk held many sales and marketing roles in Europe and Latin America for Mars Inc., as well as The Coca Cola Company, where, among others, he was President, Coca Cola Caribbean.

Dirk holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a post-graduate in marketing and management. He is fluent in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese.

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