Albert Heijn owner Ahold Delhaize plans major boost to CEO and executive bonuses

Ahold Delhaize plans to raise the maximum bonuses for its top executives, a proposal for the forthcoming shareholders’ meeting shows. CEO Frans Muller could see his pay rise to 12.5 million euros, up from 8.3 million under the old policy.

The rise is largely driven by higher variable bonuses at the company that owns Albert Heijn, bol.com, and Etos. The CEO’s annual short-term bonus equals 1.5 times his base salary in cash when targets are achieved, and it can double if performance significantly exceeds expectations.

In its agenda notes for the shareholders’ meeting, Ahold Delhaize explains that the changes are needed to attract and keep top executives, a task that has become increasingly challenging. The company is also expanding its online presence and private-label product development, adding complexity to its operations.

The long-term bonus, awarded in shares, can total 350 percent of the base salary when targets are achieved, and may increase by up to 1.5 times if Ahold Delhaize greatly surpasses its objectives.

Should the company hit its targets without exceeding them, CEO Muller would receive 8.1 million euros. If results fall short, he would earn only his base salary of 1.35 million euros, with no additional bonuses.

Muller received 7.5 million euros for his work last year, according to Ahold Delhaize’s annual report, up from 5.8 million in 2024.