Dimitri de Vreeze

Dimitri de Vreeze is Co-CEO and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at DSM and a member of the company’s Managing Board.

Since joining DSM in 1990, he has played a key role in transforming DSM into a global purpose-led, science-based company and is now leading the acceleration of its strategic journey to a fully focused Health, Nutrition & Bioscience company.

Initially part of DSM’s Finance team, Dimitri later moved into sales and management. He developed his career within the DSM Resins & Functional Materials business group, becoming Business Group Director of DSM Resins in 2010. Dimitri was appointed to DSM’s Managing Board in 2013. He has led successful efforts to improve the performance of DSM’s Materials businesses, reshaping the company’s Materials portfolio and setting out a clear Materials’ strategy. During his second board tenure, Dimitri has continued to drive the transformation of DSM’s Materials businesses, with a focus on high-growth specialty segments.

As DSM Co-CEO since 2020, Dimitri energetically pursues his twin passions of sustainability and innovation. He believes strongly in the role of ethical and responsible business in realizing global net-zero emissions and tackling major environmental and social challenges. He drives customer centricity, mobilizing the organization to anticipate value chain needs and actively seeking collaboration with industry partners to build long-term profitable and sustainable businesses.

Dimitri is leading the roll-out of DSM’s agenda to meet the growing need for better and more sustainable nutrition. He has a particular interest in the environmental impact of food production and has played an integral part in DSM’s efforts to support sustainable animal farming and develop non-animal protein sources. During the recent period, Dimitri was instrumental in developing DSM’s Food System Commitments, a series of quantifiable targets aimed at addressing urgent societal and environmental challenges linked to how the world produces and consumes food by 2030. He has also helped oversee the commercial launch of Bovaer®, DSM’s feed additive aimed at significantly reducing cow-related methane emissions, as well as Veramaris®, a DSM joint venture to produce omega-3 fatty acids from natural marine
algae.

Beyond DSM, Dimitri is a member of the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC)’s Executive Committee and Board and chair of the Council’s Sustainability Advisory Forum. He is a member of the Supervisory Board of Sanquin, a Dutch non-profit responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient blood supply, and Chairman of the Young Captain Foundation. A keen sports fan, Dimitri is a board member at the Dutch Olympic Committee Fund, NOC*NSF, and a close follower of DSM’s pro cycling team, Team DSM. Dimitri holds a master’s degree in Business Economics from the University of Groningen and a postgraduate degree in Finance & Control from Maastricht University.