The Aquaculture Stewardship Council, the international farmed seafood certification programme and ecolabel, has appointed Willem de Bruijn as the new Senior Director of Markets and Communications. De Bruijn will provide leadership and direction to the activities of ASC’s newly restructured Marketing and Communications, Market Development and Market Research and Insight departments.
De Bruijn will also support the organisation at the executive level, working directly with the Chief Executive, Chris Ninnes to deliver the ASC value proposition, brand, and business model and expand the ASC’s global market presence.
“Throughout my 23-year international marketing career I have gained many experiences and learnings, which I look forward to leveraging at the ASC,” said De Bruijn. “As well as leading product development, innovation and roll out of many loved and trusted international brands including Milka, Oreos, Bahlsen and Toblerone, I have also been responsible for the development of revolutionary and effective marketing campaigns and customer experience programmes.”
“Over the years, I have developed and steered the companies I worked with to do more for society and the environment. I have worked with UTZ and Rainforest Alliance and the Mondelez self-certification programs, led the Mondelez Coffee sustainability programme and played a key role in the sustainability strategy at Bahlsen. Now I am looking forward to putting my marketing experience and passion for sustainability into further enhancing the ASC’s work to provide millions of people with the assurance of cleaner, healthier, and safer farm-raised seafood.”
The appointment of De Bruijn follows the development and implementation of a Strategy Review in 2020 that saw the ASC Board sign off its primary recommendation ‘to strengthen the ASC as a marketing organisation.’
Welcoming his appointment Chief Executive, Chris Ninnes said: “Willem brings with him an impressive history of international market, product, and consumer success. His appointment is a clear signal of ASC ‘s strategic focus to innovate in – and invest in – the delivery of more value to all our partners. Not only will Willem help us realise our ambitious strategies for brand management, market development and marketing and communications, he will also play a pivotal role in the alignment of ASC’s Standards and Science and Programme Assurance teams with the new strategy to ensure the continued development of the ASC as a leader in its field and a trusted organisation across all audiences.”
About the ASC
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation co-founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) in 2010 to manage the certification of responsible fish farming across the globe.
The ASC standards require farm performance to be measured against both environmental and social requirements. Certification is through an independent third party process and reports are uploaded to the public ASC website.
The on-pack ASC logo guarantees to consumers that the fish they purchase has been farmed with minimal impacts on the environment and on society.
For more information about ASC please visit www.asc-aqua.org.
