Our people
make a difference
We have a great passion for pets, and have partnered extensively with our people, pet parents, customers, and suppliers to ensure every aspect of your pet’s life is well taken care of.
Get to know our people
With over 25 years of experience as a leading pet food producer, we’re committed to the health and well-being of your beloved pet(s). Our diverse product range covers all categories of food for both dogs and cats, designed for all quality tiers and distribution channels. With 12 state-of-the-art factories across Europe, we cover more than 400 customers in over 35 countries. Our team of almost 3000 colleagues share a common goal: to make tomorrow a better place for people and pets. At PPF, we’re not just food producers; we’re partners in pet care, dedicated to creating positive change, one bowl at a time.
Inspiring stories from our people
What defines your work at PPF?
I have prioritised having my own “why,” creating a perfect fit between the company’s mission and my and my colleagues’ work expectations. That is my special touch: caring about people and helping find solutions for those who may not enjoy their work as much as they would like.
What is your approach to leading your procurement team?
People count. My team and I work for a great company, and PPF’s approach to managing its people is impressive. I have found it more effective to relate to my team less as a group and more as individuals. Each one has a unique approach to their work and to solving problems. It would be counterproductive to see it otherwise.
Meet our diverse team
Meet our management team
Gerald Kühr
Gerald has been the CEO of PPF since July, 2020. Prior to that, he worked for Unilever for 10 years, starting as Senior Vice President for European Customer Development until he was appointed Chief Customer Officer in 2016, and also became a member of the Extended Global Executive Team. Gerald began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he worked in Marketing & Sales for both Germany and Austria, before becoming the General Manager for Austria.
As a passionate runner, Gerald is a fundamental believer in Health & Wellbeing and Diversity & Inclusion. His motto for PPF is: healthy people produce healthy results in a healthy environment.
Stéphane Re
Stéphane, a Swiss and Italian national started his career in 1997 in Corporate Finance with Credit Suisse First Boston in Geneva, after having graduated from HEC - the Faculty of Business and Economics in the University of Lausanne. He started his FMCG career with Nestle in 1999 as a Group Internal Auditor and thereafter served as a long-term expatriate having multiple assignments across Asia and Europe as CFO and in Finance Transformation.
In 2014, Stephane joined Thai Union Europe / MW Brands in Paris, the pan-European leader in Branded and Private Label packaged seafood, as Group CFO he was also leading M&A, Business Technology & Transformation.
Since 2021, Stephane has been the Group CFO of PPF and holds accountability over Technology, Legal Affairs, Finance and Corporate Governance.
His motto? “When people are financially invested, they want a return, when they are emotionally invested, they want to contribute”.
Torsten Jacobs
Torsten joined PPF as COO in August, 2009. Prior to that, he held various senior management positions at Kraft Foods, including Plant Manager/Director, Global Category Director in the HQ in Chicago and Area Director of Manufacturing for Eastern & South East Europe. Within PPF he has established an integrated manufacturing network supported by a centralised operating model, spanning from procurement over product development, the European manufacturing network with an integrated supply chain approach and a QA and engineering support function. Torsten holds a university degree in Engineering and a degree in Management and Economics, and he is a strong believer that anything is possible by stretching the boundaries with a passionate and committed team working in a safe environment.
Marieke Hoorneman
After studying chemistry and bioprocess technology in the Netherlands, Marieke joined Quest International, a flavours and fragrances company. She held roles in R&D, Facility Management and Product Development. In 2009 she joined Provimi as Senior Project manager, where she executed several footprint optimization projects and large capital investments across EMEA. After Provimi’s acquisition by Cargill, Marieke took her passion for people to the next level by joining the Human Resources team. In her last role as Group HR Leader for Food Solutions in EMEA, she led a business transformation of the Food Ingredients organisation, making it a truly customer-driven organisation. Marieke’s mission as a people leader is to improve business results by improving People Engagement and Performance, as people are the most foundational element of any business.
