Tjeerd Jegen: The Retail Leader Behind B&M’s Next Chapter
A Global Retail Career, From Woolworths and HEMA to B&M European Value Retail
Tjeerd Jegen is the Group Chief Executive Officer of B&M European Value Retail plc, a position he has held since June 2025. He is a Dutch retail executive with around 30 years of international experience across supermarkets, department stores, fashion and discount retail. Before joining B&M, he held senior leadership positions at Woolworths, HEMA, Takko Fashion, Accell Group, Tesco, Metro Group and Ahold Delhaize.
His career stands out because it spans several major retail markets, including Europe, Asia and Australia. That international background has helped establish Jegen as an experienced operator in customer-focused and value-driven businesses.
Who Is Tjeerd Jegen?
Tjeerd Jegen is a Dutch business executive best known for his senior roles in international retail. He became Group CEO of B&M European Value Retail plc on 16 June 2025, following the retirement of former chief executive Alejandro Russo and an interim period led by Mike Schmidt.
B&M describes Jegen as a Dutch national with approximately 30 years of experience in value-driven, customer-centric retail. His career has included responsibility for supermarkets, department stores and discount businesses, giving him experience across different retail formats and markets.
Early Life and Background
Detailed information about Tjeerd Jegen’s early childhood and family background is not widely available through authoritative public sources. What is clear is that he began his professional career in his native Netherlands and developed his retail expertise through Ahold, one of the country’s major retail groups.
Woolworths stated in 2011 that Jegen began his retail career as a management trainee with Royal Ahold. He subsequently worked in the Netherlands and several Central European markets, including Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
This early international exposure became a defining feature of his career. Rather than remaining within one national market, Jegen moved between countries and retail formats, building experience in operations, merchandising, marketing and general management.
Education
Tjeerd Jegen studied Business Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Public professional profiles also identify him as holding both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications from the university.
His academic background complemented practical retail experience. Over the following decades, he developed a career focused on commercial performance, customer experience, operational efficiency and large-scale retail management.
B&M’s current management profile confirms that Jegen holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. It also states that he has lived and worked in nine countries during his career.
Career Journey
Ahold and Central European Retail
Jegen’s first major professional chapter was with Royal Ahold. His responsibilities included store operations and commercial roles, eventually leading to a senior merchandising position covering Central Europe.
He later moved to Metro Group, where he became CEO of the Romanian hypermarket business. This gave him further experience running a large retail operation in an international environment.
Tesco in Asia
In 2009, Jegen joined Tesco and became Chief Operating Officer of Tesco Thailand before moving to Malaysia as CEO. His work in Asia added another important dimension to his international retail experience.
By 2011, Woolworths recognised his background across several countries and appointed him to lead a major part of its Australian operation.
Woolworths
One of the most significant roles in Jegen’s career came at Woolworths Australia.
Woolworths appointed him Director of Australian Supermarkets & Petrol in 2011. Contemporary Woolworths material later referred to him as Managing Director of the Australian Supermarkets and Petrol business.
At the time of his appointment, Jegen was 40 years old. Woolworths highlighted his experience in store operations, commercial management, marketing and general management across seven countries.
HEMA
Jegen subsequently returned to Europe and became CEO of Dutch retailer HEMA in 2015. He remained in the role until 2021.
His time at HEMA strengthened his reputation as a leader capable of managing a recognisable consumer brand while dealing with changing customer behaviour, international expansion and the growth of online retail.
Takko Fashion and Accell Group
In 2022, Jegen became CEO of Takko Fashion, bringing his experience in international retail and value-focused businesses to the European fashion retailer.
He later moved to Accell Group, a major European bicycle company, becoming its CEO in November 2023. Accell announced leadership changes in 2025, after which Jegen moved into a new stage of his career.
Major Achievements
Jegen’s biggest achievement may be the breadth of his international leadership experience. He has worked across grocery retail, supermarkets, general merchandise, fashion and consumer products.
His career also demonstrates an ability to operate in different cultures and business environments. B&M specifically highlights his experience across Europe, Asia and Australia and his leadership of businesses ranging from supermarkets to discount retail.
His appointment at B&M brought that experience into one of Britain’s largest value retailers.
Why Is Tjeerd Jegen Popular?
Tjeerd Jegen has attracted attention primarily because of his position at B&M and his long record with well-known international retailers.
B&M is particularly relevant to his profile because the company’s value-retail model closely connects with his previous experience. His appointment therefore represents a continuation of a career focused on customers, competitive pricing, operational performance and retail scale.
For business and retail observers, his international background makes his leadership at B&M especially noteworthy.
Tjeerd Jegen Age
Tjeerd Jegen is 55 years old in 2026, according to current professional business databases.
A Woolworths announcement from August 2011 recorded his age as 40 at the time of his appointment, which is consistent with the current age information.
His exact date of birth is not prominently published by B&M or other primary corporate sources, so it is better not to state an unverified birthday.
Tjeerd Jegen Family
Public information about Tjeerd Jegen’s family and private life is limited. B&M’s official biography focuses on his professional achievements, education and international career rather than his spouse, children or wider family.
As a result, there is no reliable basis for making detailed claims about his family. Keeping this distinction clear is important when writing about a public business executive.
Tjeerd Jegen Net Worth
There is no officially confirmed public figure for Tjeerd Jegen’s personal net worth.
Some financial websites publish estimates, but these figures can vary considerably and should not be treated as verified wealth. For example, MarketScreener currently displays an estimated net worth of around US$1 million, but this is not a figure confirmed by Jegen or B&M.
His compensation and company shareholdings can provide some insight into his financial position, but they are not the same thing as total personal wealth. B&M has publicly disclosed share transactions involving Jegen since he became CEO.
Tjeerd Jegen Wikipedia
Readers searching for “Tjeerd Jegen Wikipedia” may find information about his career through pages relating to companies he has led, but there does not appear to be a dedicated, authoritative Wikipedia biography that provides a comprehensive account of his life.
For accurate information, B&M’s corporate biography and official company announcements are more useful sources for his current role and career history.
Interesting Facts
- Jegen is Dutch and began his retail career in the Netherlands.
- He has around 30 years of retail leadership experience.
- He has lived and worked in nine countries.
- He has held leadership positions across Europe, Asia and Australia.
- He previously led Woolworths Australia’s Supermarkets & Petrol business.
- He served as CEO of HEMA and Takko Fashion.
- He became CEO of Accell Group in 2023.
- He joined B&M as Group CEO in June 2025.
Future Plans or Current Work
Tjeerd Jegen’s current focus is his leadership of B&M European Value Retail plc.
His appointment places an experienced international retailer at the centre of B&M’s future strategy. With previous experience in grocery, general merchandise, fashion and discount retail, he brings a broad understanding of how value-focused businesses compete in changing consumer markets.
As B&M continues developing its retail estate and customer proposition, Jegen’s performance as CEO will be closely watched by investors, employees and the wider retail industry.
Conclusion
Tjeerd Jegen has built a remarkable international retail career spanning nearly three decades. From his early years at Ahold to senior positions at Tesco, Metro, Woolworths, HEMA, Takko Fashion and Accell Group, he has consistently worked in businesses where customers, value and operational execution matter.
Today, his role as Group CEO of B&M European Value Retail plc represents the latest chapter in that journey. While details about his private family life and exact personal wealth remain limited, his professional record is well documented.
For anyone researching Tjeerd Jegen, the key story is not simply his current job title. It is the combination of international experience, retail expertise and leadership across multiple markets that has taken him from a management trainee in the Netherlands to the top of one of Britain’s best-known value retailers.
