DENMARK – Palsgaard, a specialist in the manufacture of emulsifiers and stabilizers, has appointed Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Arla Foods, Helle Müller Petersen, as its Chief Executive Officer, effective 9th January 2023.
She will succeed Jakob Thøisen, who will join the Board of Directors of the Schou Foundation after 11 years of service to the Danish company as the CEO.
Jakob Thøisen joined Palsgaard in 2004 as Chief Commercial Officer.During his tenure as the CEO, Palsgaard has experienced continued growth.
In his new position, Jakob Thøisen will succeed Rasmus Christiansen on the Board of Directors of the Schou Foundation from January 2023.
Rasmus Christiansen turned 70 years old earlier in 2022, and accordance to the statutes of the Schou Foundation, he is obliged to step down at the end of the year, having served on the board for more than 20 years.
“I want to thank Rasmus for his long-time contribution to the Schou Foundation and Palsgaard,” said Anders Brix, CEO of the Schou Foundation which owns Palsgaard and chairman of Palsgaard.
“Jakob has played a crucial role in the growth and globalization of our company over the past two decades. I am therefore happy that we can continue to draw on his experiences in the Board of Directors of the Schou Foundation and Palsgaard A/S.”
Commenting on the appointment of Peterson as the CEO, Brix said her track record, depth of international experience, and fit to the company’s corporate culture make her an ideal leader to build on the great work of Jakob and the rest of our heart working people.
Müller Petersen has also had 25 years of career growth with Carlsberg Group within sales and marketing and including management positions in Nepal, Croatia, China, and Malaysia.
Helle said, “I see a strong fit between Palsgaard’s corporate values and focus on ESG and my values. Furthermore, I appreciate that I will be joining a company that is owned by a foundation and therefore has a long-term view on how to strengthen and grow a business. I look forward to joining Palsgaard’s leadership team and building on the great foundation and growth potential in the business”.
Helle Müller Petersen’s appointment comes at a time when the global food emulsifiers market size, valued at US$ 3.38 Billion in 2021, is projected by IMARC Group to reach US$4.6 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 5.10% during 2022-2027.
To further tap and expand its offering into the growing market, Palsgaard launched Palsgaard SA, a series of powdered emulsifiers for industrial baking that overcomes the challenge of eggs accounting for as much as 30% of cake recipes.
Based on polyglycerol esters (PGEs) of fatty acids, it offers many functional properties, allowing egg content to be cut by an average of 20%. This translates to a typical cost reduction of around 5%.
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