AS Watson Group (ASW) today announces management change in its health and beauty retail business in the Benelux, with the appointment of Ed van de Weerd as CEO of AS Watson Benelux with effect from 1st July 2019, succeeding Gerard van Breen who has taken the decision to retire after 14 years of service.
Gerard joined AS Watson Group in 2005 as Regional Managing Director of Kruidvat Benelux and was subsequently promoted to CEO, AS Watson Health & Beauty Benelux in 2006. In 2016, Gerard additionally assumed responsibility for managing ICI Paris XL perfumeries. Under Gerard’s leadership, all brands have continually gained market share and have been consistently recognised as best-in-class in the retail sector.
Gerard will continue to work with the Group as an advisor to support our activities in the Benelux and in other markets.
Ed, who joined the Group as Managing Director, Kruidvat the Netherlands in 2018, has made a very valuable initial contribution to the Kruidvat brand with his extensive commercial experience from supermarkets, FMCG and telecom industries.
As the new CEO of the business, Ed will continue to further build the customer connectivity strategy, ensuring our retail brands Kruidvat and Trekpleister remain customers’ most loved brands with a network of over 1,400 retail stores in the Benelux region.
