Feike Sijbesma


Feike Sijbesma is a Dutch business executive who is the current CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board of DSM. He is also a designated Global Climate Leader for the World Bank Group and is the Co-Chair of the High Level Assembly of the group's Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

Early life and education

Sijbesma was born in Nieuw-Loosdrecht, Netherlands in 1959. His father was an insurance agent. Sijbesma graduated with a Master of Science in medical biology from Utrecht University and a Master of Business Administration from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Career

After graduating from Erasmus University Rotterdam in 1987, Sijbesma took a job in the pharmaceuticals division of the Dutch biotechnology company, Gist-Brocades. In 1993, he was appointed General Manager of the Savoury Business Unit at Gist-Brocades. Two years later, he was appointed to the company's Executive Committee. By 1998, he was Head of Marketing and Sales at the company. That year, Gist-Brocades was acquired by DSM. After the merger, Sijbesma became the Director of DSM Food Specialties.
In 2000, Sijbesma joined the Managing Board of Directors at DSM as the company shifted toward nutrition and biotech. In May 2007, he was named CEO of the company and Chairman of the Managing Board. As DSM CEO, Sijbesma transformed the company into a life science and material science company. The company sold its last petrochemical business in 2010 including its entire industrial chemicals and pharmaceutical units. During that time, Sijbesma also oversaw 25 major acquisitions for the company. Additionally, Sijbesma brought DSM into a partnership with the United Nations' World Food Programme to provide food assistance to locations like Rwanda and Kenya. In Rwanda, a partnership between DSM, the WFP, and the Rwandan government produced an Africa Improved Foods manufacturing facility. In 2010, Sijbesma was given the United Nations Humanitarian of the Year award.
In 2016, he was named Co-Chair of the High Level Assembly of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition which is organized by the World Bank Group. In 2017, the World Bank Group named him a "Global Climate Leader." He also advocated for widespread corporate and governmental use of carbon pricing in 2017. Sijbesma is a member of the Global CEO Council of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, advising the Chinese Premier.

Other activities