Gijsbert de Zoeten: The Making of a Chief Financial Officer

Gijsbert de Zoeten is a seasoned business leader, having worked in Chief Financial Officer (CFO) roles for over 15 years. He has worked for several major corporations, namely Unilever, LeasePlan, and Inchcape and held roles responsible for individual markets (e.g. Brazil), regions (e.g. Europe) and global roles. His executive prowess is clear from the remarkable results and turnarounds De Zoeten has achieved in each of his positions as CFO.

A snapshot of De Zoeten’s career demonstrates ambition, perseverance, and a proven track record of success at every level. His education in the Netherlands laid the foundations, and from there, he steadily built on it, brick by brick, leading him to where he stands today as a standout finance executive.

Laying the Foundations: Education

Gijsbert de Zoeten received his Drs, Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 1989 from the University of Groningen (RUG), one of the top 100 universities in the world.

In 1993, De Zoeten furthered his education by obtaining his Register Controller (RC) qualification from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). Completing his RC allowed him to elevate his career and take on management roles in financial operations for major companies.

De Zoeten was consistently ranked in the top 50 Dutch RCs throughout his career by the Dutch Association of Registered Controllers (VRC). He ranked number two on the list for many years.

Building Blocks: 27 Years at Unilever

In a long-standing 27-year career at Unilever, Gijsbert de Zoeten demonstrated vision and determination by progressing up the ladder at every opportunity. After securing a position as a graduate in 1989, he held various finance roles in operating companies and the head office.

In 2002, he became Finance Director of Unilever Foods in Brazil. With De Zoeten at the helm, Unilever’s Brazilian Foods operations expanded to five production locations which led to increased annual turnover that reached over $1 billion.

After his successful stint in Brazil, he became the Managing Director of Unilever t-Finance Europe from 2005 to 2008 (managing the outsourcing of a significant number of finance roles to India and Poland), and CFO of Unilever’s Global Foodsolutions (B2B) for the next two years. In 2010, De Zoeten was given the prestigious role of CFO for Unilever Europe.

During his six-year tenure, he unfounded his passion for sustainability in business as an ingredient for growth. He began implementing sustainability metrics and frameworks for Unilever, helping transform the organization’s ethos into the sustainability-focused one that you see today. He also devoted a considerable amount of time to one of his other passions: developing people.

Forging a CFO: Diverse Executive Work

2016 was a big year for Gijsbert de Zoeten. He left Unilever after 27 years and became CFO of LeasePlan, an innovative and sustainable car leasing company, which had just been purchased by Private Equity. He was also appointed as a member of the supervisory board of TU Delft by the Dutch Minister of Education due to his outstanding financial expertise.

Having played a key role in LeasePlan’s transformation journey (including IPO preparation), De Zoeten moved on to a new challenge with Inchcape in 2019. This London-based PLC is one of the leading global distributors in the automotive industry, present in 30+ countries, with an annual turnover of over £8 billion.

As CFO for over three years, he successfully navigated the massive industry disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, co-developed the company’s new “Accelerate” strategy, and transformed the finance function. He enhanced investor’s perception leveraging his communication skills. He also spearheaded the business development strategy, leading to a historic £1.3 billion acquisition of Latin American number one distributor business Derco (2022).

Navigating Future Endeavours

After departing Inchcape at the end of 2022, he is re-entering the professional marketplace with the ambition he has carried for his entire career. His experience in B2B and B2C businesses in a range of diverse industries and markets ensures he’s poised for new challenges.

Utilizing his expertise and experience, De Zoeten is available to help accelerate the growth and transformation of a fresh project. He’s perfectly positioned to play an advisory role as an active board member or become a full-time executive once again. He would also consider a role in the not-for-profit sector.