Jorgen Kokke has been appointed to the role of Vice President and General Manager, Asia-Pacific, at the Ingredion group of companies. Previously Vice President and General Manager, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Kokke now has overall management responsibility for all aspects of the company’s Asia-Pacific region. His predecessor, Jeff Laurent has retired, following 33 years working for Ingredion and its legacy companies.
In his new role, Kokke will focus on managing Ingredion’s business in Asia-Pacific, where it provides functional ingredients, including nature-based starches, sweeteners and nutritional ingredients, to the region’s diverse food industry.
“The opportunities for Ingredion and our customers in Asia-Pacific are immense and I am really looking forward to driving innovation, growth and service excellence in this exciting region. The diversity of food cultures, eating habits and consumer requirements in a region as vast and ever-changing as this, provide real opportunities for our customers to produce great tasting foods and drinks. And we are incredibly well placed to assist them with innovative ingredients, product development expertise and deep, local consumer insights,” comments Kokke.
Kokke joined Ingredion in 2009 as Vice President and General Manager, EMEA. Prior to that, he served as Vice President at CSM, with responsibility for the global PURAC Food and Nutrition business, based in both the Netherlands and Chicago, USA. Between 1994 and 2005, he held a variety of roles in Sales, Marketing, and General Management in the Loders Croklaan Group, living in both Europe and the United States.