Ingredients Supplier Corbion Announces CEO to Step Down
October 6, 2026 | 2 min to read
Corbion today announces that CEO Olivier Rigaud has informed the Supervisory Board that he will not seek a third term as CEO when his current appointment expires at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on 12 May 2027.
After eight years as CEO, Olivier believes the end of his current term will be the right moment to hand over leadership of the company. During his tenure, he has guided Corbion through a period of significant transformation and strengthened the company’s position for future growth and value creation. Olivier will remain fully committed to Corbion and continue to lead the company until the AGM on 12 May 2027, with a continued focus on improving performance, strengthening execution and advancing the company’s strategic priorities.
The Supervisory Board has initiated a succession process to identify Corbion’s next CEO. The Supervisory Board is confident that the planned transition timeline provides ample opportunity to ensure continuity of leadership, a smooth handover, and continued focus on delivering long term value for customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders.
In addition, the Supervisory Board intends to nominate Alexander (Xander) Wessels for appointment as a member of the Supervisory Board at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
Xander Wessels, a Dutch national, brings extensive experience in the life sciences, specialty chemicals and food ingredients industries, with deep expertise in strategy, operational excellence, international business leadership and value creation. Throughout his career, he has held a number of senior leadership positions, including Chief Executive Officer of Caldic, Chief Executive Officer of Archroma, and President and Chief Executive Officer of DSM Pharmaceutical Products. Earlier in his career, he also held senior leadership roles within DSM and Campina. Currently, he serves as Chair of the Supervisory Board of NRG PALLAS and Chair of Enza Zaden, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Archroma.
The Supervisory Board believes that Mr. Wessels’ experience in leading international B2B companies, driving transformation and operational performance, and serving on supervisory boards will be highly valuable as Corbion continues to execute BRIGHT 2030, strengthen performance and create long-term value for stakeholders.
About Corbion
Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid and its derivatives, and a leading supplier of emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins, and algae ingredients. We use our unique expertise in fermentation and other processes to deliver sustainable solutions for the preservation of food and food production, health, and our planet. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2020, Corbion generated annual sales of € 986.5 million and had a workforce of 2,267 FTE. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam.