Amsterdam-based Fairphone, the ethical smartphone maker, on Tuesday, announced the appointment of Raymond van Eck as Fairphone’s new CEO.
“We are thrilled to welcome Raymond to the Fairphone team. His leadership and expertise will be instrumental as we continue to change the smartphone industry and drive our strategic vision forward. The Supervisory Board also thanks Reinier for leading the company during the last few months and laying the foundations for Fairphone to be successful in its next phase.” says Eelco Blok, Chairman of Fairphone’s Supervisory Board.
Raymond will be officially taking over on August 31, succeeding Reinier Hendriks, who is stepping down to pursue other opportunities, says the company.
“At the end of this month, I am stepping down as CEO of Fairphone. From early January it has been an intense journey and I’m proud of what has been achieved together,” says Hendriks in a LinkedIn post.
“We restructured, renegotiated key supplier terms, and refinanced the company in record time. We turned things around commercially, outperforming our targets. We successfully launched the long-lasting Fairbuds. And we defined a new company and brand strategy for the coming years,” adds Hendriks.
Notably, Reinier Hendriks was appointed as Fairphone’s CEO earlier this January, replacing Noud Tillemans, who also departed the company to explore new challenges.
Raymond van Eck – The new CEO
Raymond brings 20 years of international experience in the utilities and online marketing sectors, with key leadership roles at Youvia, Powerpeers, easyEnergy.com, hoyhoy.nl, and Nuon/Vattenfall.
He has a proven track record in digital transformation, branding, entrepreneurship, and revenue generation.
In his most recent role as Youvia’s CEO, Raymond significantly improved its customer acquisition and loyalty score, claims the Dutch company.
Raymond van Eck comments, “I’m honored to be joining Fairphone at such a pivotal time. There is still considerable work to be done, and I look forward to working with the talented, passionate Fairphone team to build on its strong foundation and deliver exceptional value to our customers, employees, and shareholders. Let’s make a difference together!”
Last year, Raymond stepped down as Youvia’s CEO after FCR Media Group acquired the company.
Based out of Amsterdam, Youvia offers online marketing for various SMEs. The Dutch company works on the online presence, findability, reach, and reputation of its clients.
Annual impact report
The announcement comes over a month after launching the annual impact report in June.
From device longevity to reuse and recycling to fair factories and materials, the Dutch company once again achieved its ambitious annual impact targets on people and the planet, while investing for growth in 2023.
According to the report, the Dutch company, in 2023 avoided 944 tons of CO2 and 29 tons of electronic waste, with over 22,000 additional people benefitting from Fairphone’s measures in 2023.
Brief about Fairphone
Founded in 2013 by Bas van Abel, Fairphone is driven by the mission to inspire the entire electronics industry to adopt more responsible practices.
The company says that each Fairphone device exemplifies the market’s demand for ethical electronics, seamlessly integrated with a sustainable and profitable business strategy.
The B-Corp-certified company aims to influence the electronics industry by emphasising ethical practices. It encourages manufacturers and suppliers to invest in improved working conditions and sustainable practices, fostering better opportunities for connected communities in the supply chain.
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