Overview

Feike Sijbesma has over 30 years’ experience as an international executive and senior leader across multiple industries, including food, nutrition, (bio)chemicals, health, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, diversified industrials and renewable energy. He is a leader who is highly respected and trusted globally by business, NGOs and governments.

Feike is Honorary Chair and the former CEO (2007 to 2020) of Royal DSM, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Royal Philips and Senior Adviser at Forbion Capital Partners. He is also Co-Chair of the Global Centre on Climate Adaptation, together with Ban Kimoon, former Secretary-General of the UN. He is a designated Global Climate Leader of the World Bank (and carbon pricing champion), member of the Advisory Council of the IMF, member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum and Co-Chair of the Business Network for Scaling Up Nutrition at the UN.

Previously, he was an Independent Non-Executive Director at Unilever and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Central Bank.

Feike served on the Managing Board of Royal DSM, including 13 years as CEO. Under his leadership, DSM successfully transformed from a bulk-chemical company into a leading global innovative science-based company focused on nutrition, health and sustainable living. He has proven at DSM that sustainability is not only a key responsibility but also a core value and a main business driver. He is a main advocate for inclusion and diversity.

Feike studied Medical and Molecular Biology at the University of Utrecht and Business Administration at Erasmus University, Rotterdam. He is a recipient of several awards, including Humanitarian of the Year Award & Leaders of Change Award by the UN, has an honorary doctorate from Maastricht and Groningen University, the Netherlands, and was listed by Fortune as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, and by Harvard Business Review as one of the World’s 100 most successful CEOs. He received the Courage to Lead Award from the World Resources Institute. Feike is currently an investor in smaller companies in food and sustainability/ energy and advises companies on transformations.

Feike was decorated in 2021 by the Netherlands Prime Minister as Grand Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau, one of the country’s highest royal honours.

Major Career Roles

Royal DSM

Honorary Chair and former CEO

Royal Philips

Supervisory Board Chair

Supervisory Board

Board member

Global Centre Climate Adaptation

Co-Chair

World Economic Forum

Board of Trustees

Africa Improved Foods and Ocean Cleanup

Senior Adviser

Unilever

Independent Non-Executive Director

Other Career Highlights

the Netherlands

Corona Envoy

Dutch Growth Fund

Board member

Netherlands Cancer Institute and Hospital

Board member

Netherlands Genomics Initiative

Board member

EuropBio

Chair

European Chemical Industry Council

Board member

Utrecht University

Board member

Dutch Innovation Platform

Board member

Chair Mentors International
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