KAREL VUURSTEEN
Karel Vuursteen started his career with Philips and progressed through several marketing and management positions in the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Germany.

He subsequently became President and CEO of Philips Lighting in North America.

Mr. Vuursteen joined Heineken as member of the Executive Board in 1991. He was then promoted to CEO, a position he held for nine years. Since 2002 Mr. Vuursteen has been a member of the Management Board of Heineken Holding.

Heineken, under Mr. Vuursteen’s leadership, gained the widest global presence of all the international brewing groups, operating in over 170 countries and employing 50,000 people. It became the largest brewer in Europe and the second largest in the world.

BOARD MANDATES
Mr. Vuursteen is Chairman of Akzo Nobel and TomTom. He also sits on the Supervisory Board of ING Group, Heineken Holding and Henkel.

He is also Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Nijenrode University, Chairman of Stichting Het Concertgebouw Fonds (Amsterdam Concert Hall).

Mr. Vuursteen was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ahold, the world’s third largest supermarket group, Randstad Group, one of Europe’s largest temporary staffing agencies, and Petroplus International.

Mr. Vuursteen has been a Non-Executive Director at Whitbread, Electrolux, Head and Gucci Group.

AWARDS
In 2001 Mr. Vuursteen was nominated “Top Manager of the Year” in the Netherlands and has received several distinguished awards in the Netherlands and abroad.