Chr. Hansen Appoints Barker as Executive Vice President for Health & Nutrition

3 Sep 2013 --- Christian Barker has been appointed Executive Vice President (EVP) for Chr. Hansen’s Health & Nutrition Division. “We are ready for the next step for this division and we look for different management competencies to take us there."

"We will enforce our strategic focus and look at new opportunities for future growth. I am happy that Christian Barker has accepted to head up this challenge. Christian has substantial experience with identifying and developing growth opportunities and I look forward to expanding our collaboration”, says Cees de Jong, CEO.

Christian Barker joined the company in May 2012 as Corporate Vice President for Corporate Strategic Development. No decisions regarding his succession have been made at this point.

Christian Barker will replace Henrik Dalboege, who will be leaving Chr. Hansen as of 30 September 2013.

Henrik Dalboege has been with the company since 2006 and from 2007 as part of the executive management.

“Henrik has a solid background within human health and industrial biotechnology and under his leadership the Health & Nutrition Division has developed from a business unit to an independent division with strong growth. Henrik has professionalized our activities in Health and Nutrition, and developed a sound platform for probiotics for dietary supplements and infant health. I would like to thank Henrik for his considerable contribution and dedication to Chr. Hansen”, says Cees de Jong, CEO.

As of today, Chr. Hansen's Executive Board consists of Cees de Jong, Klaus Pedersen, Knud Vindfeldt, Carsten Bennike and Jesper Allentoft.

On September 4 Chr. Hansen will present an update on its long-term strategic direction at a Capital Markets Day in Copenhagen.

Christian Barker joined Chr. Hansen on May 2, 2012, as head of Corporate Strategic Development. Prior to this, Christian Barker was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he spent 15 years serving global clients on a range of topics including growth strategy, M&A, business building, and restructuring. Christian Barker joined McKinsey in Copenhagen in 1996, worked for McKinsey in London and Buenos Aires, and from 1999 to 2010 he was based in New York/New Jersey before returning to Copenhagen.