Finance Director Luuk van der Pal has won the first Family Business Award for Finance Directors in family businesses during the annual congress of Finance Transformation.
The jury praised Van der Pal’s involvement in the business and during business take-overs. "He is a financial expert and independent CFO who has good judgement, combined with excellent knowledge about the business of Enza Zaden. He is also empathic in dealing with shareholders and family."
"I’m very proud to have won this prize," says Van der Pal. "For me, it recognizes the professionalism of the Finance and Control departments in particular and Enza Zaden in general."
Award for Finance Directors in family businesses
The other nominees included the CFO's of Lely Group, Florensis Holding and Westland Kaas Groep. The jury judged each one of these nominees on how they contributed to the company’s success by doing their business differently and by their courage to innovate. Moreover, the jury found it important that the CFO has a strong advisory position towards the family shareholders and that he or she ensures a sustainable growth of the company.
This year, the Award for Finance Directors in family businesses has been presented for the first time. “Within the CFO Community Finance Directors, or CFO’s, of family businesses form a group that has to deal with specific characteristics of a family business,” explains the organisation on its website. “In such companies the CFO is the link between the company, the outside world and the family. He or she constitutes the rational counterbalance for the entrepreneurs within the family, who have a more emotional bond with their company.”