Dutch dairy giant Friesland Campina, the company set to be created from the merger of Campina and Friesland Foods, has appointed Cees ‘t Hart as its new CEO from 1 May.

Hart is to join the company from Unilever, where he worked as a senior vice president of marketing operations. The two companies entered into talk in December to create one of the world’s largest dairy groups. Both companies currently operate as cooperatives, with Campina jointly owned by 8,000 dairy farmers and Friesland Foods by 9,700 dairy farmers, and will continue as a cooperative under the name Zuivelcooeperatie Friesland Campina.