Accell’s Jeroen Both voted best SCM director in the Netherlands

Jeroen Both from bicycle manufacturer Accell has emerged as the best supply chain director in the Netherlands. The new Top 26 SCM Directors ranking was revealed at the Kleurstoff venue in Amsterdam during an inspiring SCM Directors Event on 17 June. Joost Bous from Action came in second place and Jumbo Supermarkten’s Karel de Jong was ranked third.

Jeroen Both (pictured on the right) was very surprised to be announced as the winner. Somewhat bemused, he commented that he had only learnt of the existence of the Top 26 a week ago. Both has been Chief Supply Chain Officer at Accell since 2015. Accell Group, headquartered in Heerenveen, is a manufacturer of bicycle brands such as Batavus, Haibike, Ghost, Lapierre, Koga, Raleigh and Sparta, and cargo bike brands Babboe and Carqon.

The company is the European market leader in e-bikes and the number 2 in bicycle parts and accessories. Until a few years ago, the brands operated autonomously. Accell realized that it was missing out on both marketing and supply chain opportunities, and therefore focused on integration from 2015 onwards. The outstanding way in which Both is leading the supply chain side of that operation earned him the title of top SCM director in the Netherlands.

First edition of Top 26 SCM Directors in the Netherlands

The coronavirus pandemic has made the strategic importance of supply chain management clearer than ever, including for Dutch companies. That is why Supply Chain Media, Inspired-Search and BLMC decided to compile an annual ranking of Top 26 SCM Directors in the Netherlands for the first time this year. They assessed supply chain directors in the Netherlands based on financial results, personal responsibilities, visibility and peer voting.

The ranking has been produced as a follow-up to the Top 28 Supply Chain Executives in Europe, which Supply Chain Media compiles annually in collaboration with Inspired-Search. According to initiator Martijn Lofvers (pictured on the left), the Dutch version is a sign that the supply chain management discipline has matured in the Netherlands. Additionally, it is now easy to measure the personal achievements of directors. The Top 26 SCM Directors in the Netherlands ranking therefore replaces the Supply Chain Professional of the Year Award.

Compiling the Top 26

The scoring for the Top 26 is broken down into four parts. The first part is based on financial analysis of each supply chain director’s company or division. For this, BLMC looks at sales growth, inventory turnover rate, cash conversion and return on capital employed. For the second part, Inspired-Search assesses the personal responsibilities of the 60 candidates, their span of control, geographic scope, organizational and supply chain complexity, as well as supply chain maturity.

The third component is related to the supply chain director’s personal visibility in the shape of published interviews, public presentations, guest lectures, and LinkedIn profile and activity. Supply Chain Media conducts the research for this component and also organizes the peer voting by Dutch academics and previous participants in the Supply Chain Professional of the Year Award. The financial analysis and personal responsibilities each count for 30% of the total score, while personal visibility and peer voting each make up 20% of the final result.

Criteria for supply chain directors

To be considered for inclusion in the Top 26, a supply chain director must work in the Netherlands and speak the Dutch language. He or she must have been employed for at least one year by a manufacturing, wholesale, retail or e-commerce company with an annual turnover of at least €50 million. Their geographical responsibility may be global, but the maximum company revenue is €2.5 billion. Supply chain executives at larger companies are eligible for the Top 28 Supply Chain Executives in Europe.

Top 26 SCM Directors in the Netherlands 2021

1. Jeroen Both, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Accell
2. Joost Bous, Supply Chain Director, Action
3. Karel de Jong, Directeur Supply Chain, Jumbo Supermarkten
4. Willemien Broeders, Supply Chain Director, Perfetti Van Melle
5. Frans Pannekoek, Head of Operations, Tony’s Chocolonely
6. Stan Bijsterveld, Director Global Supply Chain, IMCD Group
7. Antoine Leclercq, VP Procurement & Global SCM, Ampleon
8. Mark Hoppenbrouwers, Supply Chain Director, Rituals
9. Aron Waas, Global Supply Chain Director, Royal Boon Edam International
10. Arthur van Och, Supply Chain Director, ForFarmers
11. Gerrit Buitenhuis, Directeur Supply Chain, Sligro Food Group
12. Wybe Jan Bleeker, Supply Chain Director, Picnic
13. Michiel van Veen, Director Supply Chain & Operations, Royal Lemkes
14. Gerco Oosterink, Director Operations & Supply Chain, Koninklijke Gazelle
15. Remco van Haastrecht, Director Supply Chain, Eriks
16. Diederik Schneemann, Director Supply Chain & Purchasing, Mustad
17. Sarah Mozes, Supply Chain Director, Ace & Tate
18. Martijn Derks, Supply Chain Director, Mars Veghel
19. Elle Dings, Vice President Supply Chain, Lumileds
20. Bart Schoonderwoerd, Logistics Director, Technische Unie
21. Willem Verbakel, Chief Operations Officer, Nature’s Pride
22. Edwin de Jonge, Director Site Operations, Avebe
23. Teun van Boeckel, Supply Chain Director, Swiss Sense
24. Pim Pilon, Supply Chain Director, Vivera
25. Paul de Ridder, Director Supply Chain EMEA, Belden
26. Gert-Jan Janssen Reinen, Supply Chain Director, Aviko