Dutch shrimp firm Shore replaces CEO

Dutch shrimp firm Shore is replacing its leader, Dirk Belmans, after 10 months on the job.

Dirk De Pandelaere, the current CEO of Diversi, a Belgian company specializing in bread products, will take over as CEO on 1 November, 2018.

Shore, which is owned by Bencis Capital Partners, had sales of EUR 110 million (EUR ) in 2017 and has 311 employees. Aside from its own operations, it operates Belgian shrimp company Morubel, which itself owns German subsidiary Ristic. It also owns 50 percent of Telson, based in Leens, the Netherlands, and Costa Rica-based Rainbow Seafoods and the organic shrimp company Terranova, also based in Costa Rica.

Belmans began his job as commercial director of the Shore Group in January 2018 after previously serving as the commercial director of bass farming company Aqua4C and managing director of Viciunai. In a press release, Shore and its owner, Bencis Capital Partners, said Belmans has left the company and that De Pandelaere will take on a larger role, a part of which will include managing the firm’s commercial department.

In a press release, Shore and Bencis said De Pandelaere’s experience at Diversi and previously at Eurofreez, a Dutch firm specializing in frozen potato products, was an important factor in the hire.

“We are confident that Shore can continue to grow as a leading shrimp company in the European and American markets under the leadership of the new CEO,” Shore and Bencis said in a press release.

The new management team at Shore – all reporting to De Pandelaere – will include chief financial officer Bart Verstichel, chief operating officer Alain Bockstaele, quality officer Ralph Sanders, and purchasing officer Geert Coucke.