Henny Wilpshaar appointed as co-CEO of KeyGene

KeyGene herewith announces that as of September 1, 2020, Mrs Henny Wilpshaar, currently Financial Director at Kennemervis Groep, has been appointed as co-CEO of KeyGene. With this appointment, KeyGene’s Executive Board has been extended and will now comprise of two co-CEOs who both will be responsible for all company matters. Henny Wilsphaar will act with a focus on financial & entrepreneurial matters and value creation whereas Arjen van Tunen, as the other co-CEO, will have a focus on Innovation, R&D execution and project acquisition.

After her graduation at Wageningen University & Research in animal sciences/business economics, Wilpshaar started as a trainee at Nutreco. There, she chose to further develop her financial skills and knowledge. Since then, Wilpshaar has had financial/commercial positions at several food-oriented enterprises. Since 2016, Henny is financial director at Kennemervis Groep B.V., an internationally oriented fish processing company with a high emphasis on sustainability in fisheries and fish products, having businesses in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Henny Wilpshaar is excited about her new position in a research company. “KeyGene has a great reputation and is at the very center of the development of crop innovations that will help to feed the world. I am looking forward to contributing to that by being part of KeyGene’s CEO team, together with co-CEO Arjen van Tunen”

Arjen van Tunen, who has been CEO from KeyGene for the past 16 years is very pleased with this development. “Working with two co-CEOs will enlarge the executive power of the company and I warmly welcome Henny at KeyGene. She is the right person at the right place at the right time. I am convinced Henny will be able to substantially contribute to the further development and growth of our ambitious and ever-changing organization, operating in the exciting environment of Agricultural Life Sciences and Agro Biotechnology. With this KeyGene can, together with its customers and partners, develop new and breakthrough crop innovations that will make a difference to sustainably feed our current and future world population”