Hans Willem Cortenraad will wave goodbye as managing director at CB on 1 January 2022. The logistics service provider is on the eve of a new strategic period. For Cortenraad, in his own words, a good time to hand over the boardroom gavel.
Cortenraad bids farewell to CB with 'pain in his heart'. "Having led this wonderful company for so many years. It will be difficult to find the friendship, collegiality and commitment within CB and in the book trade elsewhere."
The general manager started at Centraal Boekhuis in 2003 to lead it through "turbulent years", when the development of e-commerce, digitalisation and the changing consumption of content were seen as threatening to the company. CB still managed to strengthen its position during that period by broadening its service portfolio and developing as a logistics service provider in other markets. It even performed above expectations in 2020 despite the corona pandemic.
Five multi-year plans
Cortenraad led and executed five periods of multi-year strategic plans. With CB on the eve of a new planning period, a logical moment arose for the general manager to conclude his career at CB.
Bert Meerstadt, chairman of CB's supervisory board: "Hans Willem is the face of CB and we thank him for his skilful leadership over many years. His loyalty to the company is great, as evidenced by his return in 2003 after also working at CB for four years between 1992 and 1996. In total more than 22 years of dedication to CB, our thanks are great."
