The Board of Directors of DSM-Firmenich AG has announced changes to the company’s CEO structure as the merger with Firmenich International SA completes on 8 May 2023. Effective 1 September 2023, Dimitri de Vreeze will serve as the CEO of DSM-Firmenich, with Ralf Schmeitz appointed as CFO.

The existing Co-CEO structure, which included each CEO holding additional CFO and COO responsibilities, will be replaced with the new leadership structure. Geraldine Matchett, who played a crucial role in DSM’s success and strategic transformation, including the merger with Firmenich, will leave the company on 1 September to pursue other opportunities.

Ralf Schmeitz brings a strong background in Finance & Control, Treasury, Taxation, and M&A to his new role as CFO. His career began at PWC, followed by seven years in various leadership positions at Hewlett Packard. He joined DSM in 2006, contributing to the DSM Finance transformation and supporting the company’s significant portfolio changes. Schmeitz will join the Executive Committee of DSM-Firmenich on 1 September 2023.

Thomas Leysen, Chairman of DSM-Firmenich, expressed his gratitude to Geraldine Matchett for her exceptional work as Co-CEO and CFO. He also expressed confidence in Dimitri de Vreeze’s ability to lead the company forward and welcomed Ralf Schmeitz to his new role as CFO.