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Henk Beltman
chief chocolate officer @ Tony's Chocolonely
Henk Jan Beltman is a Dutch entrepreneur and business leader, best known for his role as the former CEO and Chief Chocolate Officer of Tony's Chocolonely.
Background and Career
- Beltman studied Business Administration at the University of Groningen. After his studies, he worked in various roles, including intern and marketer at Heineken, and later as a country manager for Innocent Drinks in the Netherlands.234
- In 2010, he joined Tony's Chocolonely, a chocolate company founded by Teun van de Keuken with the mission to eradicate slavery from the cocoa industry. Beltman took a majority stake in the company in 2011 and played a crucial role in its growth and expansion.124
Tony's Chocolonely
- Under Beltman's leadership, Tony's Chocolonely grew significantly, expanding to multiple countries and increasing its workforce from just a few people to over 400. The company is known for its commitment to sourcing cocoa beans from farms that do not use child labor or slavery.124
- Beltman was instrumental in promoting the company's values-based approach, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and sustainability in the chocolate industry. He was recognized for his efforts, including being named Marketeer of the Year in 2016.34
Post-Tony's Chocolonely
- After 12 years with Tony's Chocolonely, Beltman announced his departure from the company, effective October 2024. He will be succeeded by Douglas Lamont, the current CEO of Innocent Drinks.3
- Beltman remains involved with Tony's Chocolonely as a member of the supervisory board and retains a significant portion of the company's shares.3
Other Ventures
- Apart from his work at Tony's Chocolonely, Beltman is the founder of A Genuine Wine Company, which includes wine businesses such as No Housewine and Wereldwijnonline. He is also involved in various other projects, including a new restaurant venture in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Netherlands.35
Personal Philosophy
- Beltman is driven by a strong belief in the power of business to create positive change. He emphasizes the importance of transparency, honesty, and living out one's values in business practices. He prefers a more humble approach to leadership, often highlighting that his role is not about personal gain but about making a meaningful impact.14
Highlights
wow! 𝐒𝐀𝐀𝐌 restaurant is hoogste nieuwkomer 2023 @ Gault&Millau #thankyou #benjijalgeweest? #saamisniealleennie www.saamrestaurant.nl https://lnkd.in/eMYXTXiA
Het zit erop, het was een groot voorrecht om chief chocolate officer van Tony's Chocolonely te zijn. Met een enorme dankbaarheid en trots geef ik het stokje over aan Douglas Lamont. Zorg goed voor elkaar, maak impact en wees een voorbeeld.
Team Tony's, het ga jullie goed!
Henk Jan
Met Marc van Eck RM blik ik terug: Bekijk hier het hele gesprek: https://lnkd.in/eTZ3MiTg Of luister de podcast: https://lnkd.in/eHESCdgJ
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