Fred van Heyningen-Shawn Harris - Management NP

The Nature's Pride management team pictured outside its Maasdijk headquarters, including (starting eighth from left): Harris, Van Heyningen and Dankier

Nature’s Pride, one of Europe’s leading importers of exotic fruit and vegetables, has appointed a new managing director as it bids to sustain its recent impressive growth.

Fred van Heyningen is set to head up operations and personnel at the Dutch company at the start of September, having spent the past two years as global head of food and agri banking at Rabobank in the Netherlands.

According to Nature’s Pride, a successful career in the banking sector – focusing on food and agribusiness – means Van Heyningen has lots of experience to offer when it comes to day-to-day business management as well as innovating and improving commercial strategy.

Nature’s Pride’s founder Shawn Harris and its commercial director Adriëlle Dankier said they were looking forward to the new opportunities his appointment would offer.

“We are pleased to have Fred join our team. This was after a long search for the right match. We believe that with Fred’s vast experience and management skills this will make the perfect fit,” they commented.

Van Heyningen’s appointment is expected to help Nature’s Pride in terms of its future expansion plans.

The group’s reported turnover in 2015 was €304m and this is set to increase to an estimated €364m in 2016, it noted.

For her part, Harris will continue to play an active role in the daily business, becoming chief executive officer and continuing to play a major role in the development of strategy and long term goals.

Van Heyningen and Dankier will also play key roles in those areas.

Harris will also focus on sourcing and developing the group’s CSR programme; in short, she said, she will remain committed to the development of the company.

“I am really proud that I have been able to be part of Nature’s Pride, its growth and all that we have achieved together. We have been able to create a really strong organisation with the whole management team.

“We look forward to this new phase and the co-operation with Fred. With this step we are ready for the future, the growth and new developments before us.”

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