HORSHOLM, DENMARK – Lars Frederiksen, chief executive officer of Chr. Hansen Holding A/S for eight years, plans to step down from the position on March 31 and devote more time to non-executive board positions. Cees de Jong has been appointed the new c.e.o., effective April 1, by the company’s board of directors.

Dr. de Jong previously was chief operating officer of Crucell, Leiden, The Netherlands, and helped to lead the company through a transformation process to become a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company. Johnson & Johnson acquired Crucell in 2011.

Mr. Frederiksen joined Chr. Hansen in 1980 and was named c.e.o. in April 2005 in connection with PAI Partners, a private equity firm, acquiring Chr. Hansen.

“Lars has led the impressive transformation process during PAI’s ownership as well as the successful listing on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in 2010,” said Ole Andersen, chairman of the board of directors for Horsholm-based Chr. Hansen. “During the eight years under Lars’ leadership and after almost three years as a listed company, Chr. Hansen has positioned itself as a leading and high growth global supplier of bioscience-based ingredients to the food and pharmaceutical industries and with a strong platform for sustainable and profitable growth.”

Dr. de Jong became a doctor of medicine at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He received a master’s in business administration from the Rotterdam School of Management.

He joined Gist-Brocades in 1989 and held different positions, including managing director of the industrial pharmaceutical division. When DSM acquired Gist-Brocades in 1998, Dr. de Jong was named president of DSM’s anti-infectives division. Dr. de Jong in 2000 joined Campina, where he was president of the industrial products division, and in 2003 he joined Quest International, where he was group vice-president and head of the flavor division. He joined Crucell in 2007.

“I am happy that we have been able to recruit Cees, who brings a unique combined knowledge of ingredients and biopharmaceuticals,” Mr. Andersen said. “I am convinced that he is the right person to take Chr. Hansen to the next level.”