Wouter Kolk at RetailDetail Night: retail between scale and local spirit

Former Ahold Delhaize chief Wouter Kolk takes a realistic view of the challenges facing the retail sector. At the RetailDetail Night, he speaks candidly about shareholder pressure, the need for collaboration, and the opportunities offered by AI. “Retailers must dare to think big, but without losing their local soul.”

Enjoying freedom and independence

After leaving Ahold Delhaize, Wouter Kolk, former CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and WE Fashion, is enjoying his freedom. But he is not sitting still. As a supervisory director at AkzoNobel, Goedhart Bakeries, and WE Fashion, among others, senior advisor at McKinsey, and involved in various initiatives related to technology and healthy food, he remains close to the sector he led for decades.

“I’m doing very well,” says Kolk. “I’m active on various supervisory boards. I love the variety between food, fashion, and technology. After years in the tightly structured world of Ahold Delhaize, I now enjoy the independence.”

He is also committed to World Press Photo. “I have always been interested in photography. But now, with the pressure on free speech worldwide, I think it’s important to support it. Being able to contribute to something that revolves around truth and freedom feels very valuable.”

Balance between scale and relevance

Although he is no longer at the helm of a corporation, Kolk still follows the sector closely. “The themes we used to see at Ahold Delhaize are still relevant: economies of scale and local relevance. You have to be big enough to achieve purchasing power and efficiency, but at the same time you can’t lose your local touch. I find that balance extremely fascinating — and also difficult. Many retailers struggle with precisely that tension.”

What he doesn’t miss is the pressure from the financial markets. “The pressure from shareholders can force you to make decisions that you don’t really want to make (yet),” says Kolk. “The focus on quarterly results means that you sometimes make short-term decisions, when you would rather work on sustainable goals. Managers sometimes don’t get enough time to do the right thing.”

According to him, that pressure can also get in the way of the long term. “At Ahold, we were able to balance that well because performance was strong, but I see in the sector that sustainability and innovation too often take a back seat because the financial returns are not immediately visible.”

“Companies are too often led by CFOs”

Talent development is still one of the most important themes for Kolk. “For me, leadership is primarily about helping people grow. Companies must give employees room to grow, but also offer clear accountability. I have always found that interplay between performance and purpose very inspiring.”

According to Kolk, the human side of companies is in danger of disappearing. “There is a lot of talk about digitization and AI, but too little about the human factor. Companies are sometimes too much led by CFOs, while you actually need creative and commercial people to innovate.”

Nevertheless, Kolk sees artificial intelligence primarily as an opportunity. “AI will have a huge impact on work and processes, but it will also create many opportunities. Think of reducing the ecological footprint, producing food more intelligently, or developing sustainable products. If we use it properly, AI can be an important driver of innovation and sustainability.”

“Stay curious, work together”

Consolidation is inevitable, because according to Kolk, companies benefit from more collaboration. “I notice that companies still too often try to do everything on their own. Whereas collaboration with suppliers, knowledge institutions, and start-ups is essential. In the food sector, farmers, producers, and retailers need to work more closely together on the food transition. That’s the only way to move forward.”

He also believes that the tense relationship between retailers and suppliers calls for dialogue. “You have to keep talking honestly, not only about prices but also about the causes of inflation. Perhaps better cooperation in the supply chain could reduce costs. Or you could think together about smaller packaging sizes, so that products remain affordable without surprising consumers. Transparency is crucial.”

Kolk concludes with an appeal to the sector. “Stay curious. Work together. Be open to new ideas, including those from outside your own industry. And keep changing. If you think you already know it all, you’re standing still. In a world that is evolving so rapidly, agility is more important than ever.”

At RetailDetail Night, Wouter Kolk will engage in an exclusive and candid conversation with Olivier Van den Bossche (MediaMarkt), Anaïs Claes (JBC), and Geoffroy Gersdorff (Carrefour) in an interactive panel discussion.