Thijs Aarten Succeeds Pier Nabuurs as CEO of KEMA

ARNHEM, The Netherlands, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Hans van Haarst Appointed Chief Operating Officer; Jos Huijbregts Becomes Chief Financial Officer

Thijs Aarten has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Board of knowledge-based energy services company KEMA, beginning 1 May 2011. He succeeds Pier Nabuurs who will be retiring on 30 April 2011. Thijs Aarten has been a member of the Executive Board since May 2006. In light of the further growth and internationalization of KEMA, the Executive Board is being expanded from two to three members. Also from 1 May 2011, Hans van Haarst will join the Executive Board as chief operating officer. Van Haarst has worked for AkzoNobel as Managing Director Technology & Engineering. A month later, on 1 June 2011, Jos Huijbregts will join the Executive Board as chief financial officer. Huijbregts currently works as chief financial officer at Infinitas Learning, formerly Wolters Kluwer Education.

Since his appointment in January 2002, Nabuurs (b. 1949) has led the successful transformation of the KEMA 'national institute' to an internationally recognized and successful, knowledge-based energy services company with branches and representation in more than 20 countries worldwide. Moreover, he has made significant contributions to energy innovation in general and smart grids in particular. As former chairman of the EU advisory commission, the European Technology Platform Smart Grids, Nabuurs can be regarded as a father of the concepts 'smart grids' and 'prosumer'. In the energy world, 'prosumer' is defined an end-user, or consumer, who produces his own energy and thus becomes a player in the energy market.

Thijs Aarten (b. 1956) joined KEMA in May 2006 as a member of the Executive Board. Prior to his appointment, Aarten held various management positions in Europe and Asia at Royal Dutch Shell, Koninklijke Pakhoed/Vopak and Shell Global Solutions. Particularly in the past five years, under the leadership of Nabuurs and Aarten, KEMA has experienced strong international growth and development. Aarten graduated from Delft University of Technology in 1980. He is married and has four children.

International experience

Hans van Haarst (b. 1961) has over 25 years' experience in international management in the chemical and process industry. Prior to joining AkzoNobel, Van Haarst worked for ExxonMobil and Accenture. Van Haarst also holds various managerial positions, among others at the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) and Stichting NAP (Dutch platform for the process industry chain). Van Haarst graduated in Chemical Engineering from Delft University of Technology.

Jos Huijbregts (b. 1964) has over 20 years of international experience in various financial positions. Before joining Infinitas Learning, he worked for a number of companies, including Getronics, Christie's International (Amsterdam, Paris and New York) and Randstad, where his duties included leading the merger and acquisition program in Europe and Asia. Huijbregts graduated in Econometrics from the VU University Amsterdam and has completed the Advanced Management Programs at both INSEAD and Harvard University.

Michiel Boersma, Chairman of KEMA's Supervisory Board:

"The Supervisory Board is grateful for everything that Pier Nabuurs has done for KEMA and the energy world. Without his efforts and vision, KEMA would not have been able to achieve its current position. At the same time, we are pleased with the future collaboration with Thijs Aarten as new chairman of the Executive Board. We welcome Hans van Haarst and Jos Huijbregts as new members of the Executive Board. Their appointments position KEMA perfectly to give further shape to its international growth and development."

Pier Nabuurs, Chairman of KEMA's Executive Board:

"I have very much enjoyed working with Thijs Aarten. His knowledge and drive are unrivaled. I expect that under his leadership and that of Hans van Haarst and Jos Huijbregts, ánd with the efforts and expertise of all our other colleagues, KEMA will continue its successful development. I leave KEMA with enormous gratitude, and can look back on a fantastic time."

Thijs Aarten, future Chairman of KEMA's Executive Board:

"I am extremely proud to be able to lead KEMA. With all the good work that Pier Nabuurs has already done, the in-depth energy expertise we have built up over the years and the experience Hans van Haarst and Jos Huijbregts bring with them, we have all the ingredients to enable our company to grow further and to successfully respond to the changes in the global energy market."

About KEMA

KEMA (http://www.kema.com), which was founded in 1927, is an independent knowledge-based company that is active worldwide in the energy value chain, and is specialized in high-grade service provision in the field of business and technical consultancy, operational support, measurement & inspections, and testing & certification. As an independent business, KEMA advises and supports government bodies as well as producers, suppliers and end-users of energy, and manufacturers of electricity transmission and distribution equipment. More than 1,700 professionals work at KEMA, which has branches and representatives in over 20 countries around the world.