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# Leadership Transition at Danish Crown with New CEO from Arla
- URL: https://cibocom.ghost.io/leadership-transition-at-danish-crown-with-new-ceo-from-arla/
- Published: 2015-10-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T15:08:46.000Z
- Author: Cibocom
- Tags: Danish Crown, pork, beef

On October 1, 2015, in Randers, Kjeld Johannesen, the Group CEO of Danish Crown for the last 27 years, announced his decision to retire on April 1, 2016\. To ensure a seamless transition, Jais Valeur (52), Johannesen's successor, will assume the role of Group CEO by mid-November of the same year. Johannesen (62) had revealed his retirement plans over a year ago, intending to retire in the spring of 2016 after a 45-year career. He has been part of the slaughterhouse industry since he began as a trainee clerk at a slaughterhouse in Hurup, northern Jutland, at 18\. In 1988, Johannesen became the CEO of Wenbo, a slaughterhouse business in northern Jutland. The formation of Danish Crown in 1990 marked the beginning of the consolidation of the Danish slaughterhouse industry. The subsequent mergers between Danish Crown and Vestjyske in 1998, and with Steff Houlberg in 2001, solidified Danish Crown's position as a leading European food company. Over the last 15 years, Johannesen has concentrated on the group's international expansion. After strategic acquisitions in numerous countries, Danish Crown has become a significant global player. Upon his retirement at the start of the new year, Johannesen will pass on the leadership of an international group that has been the second-largest in its industry for several years and is currently the world's largest pork export business. Erik Bredholt, Chairman of the Board of Directors, praised Johannesen as a unique leader who has successfully integrated the entire value chain over the years. He noted Johannesen's detailed knowledge of all business aspects and his focus on developing the group's increasingly international sales. After extensive searches, the Board of Directors chose Jais Valeur as the new Group CEO of Danish Crown. Valeur, previously the Executive Vice President of Arla Foods, has been with Arla Foods since 1986, except for brief periods with Royal Unibrew and the New Zealand Dairy Board. Bredholt expressed confidence in Valeur's deep understanding of international sales and the group's ownership structure, where the owners are also the suppliers of its raw materials. He believes Valeur is the right person to succeed Johannesen. Bredholt also noted that the introduction of new leadership is beneficial for a large group. Valeur will join Danish Crown in mid-November and, after a short orientation period, will take over full responsibility as Group CEO from the start of 2016.