Kincannon & Reed is pleased to announce the addition of Pieter J. van Kesteren to its international executive search practice. Mr. van Kesteren will represent the firm to its clients in the food, agribusiness and life sciences sectors in the firm’s North American and European practices.

Mr. van Kesteren comes to Kincannon & Reed from the international vegetable seed sector, where he built an impressive career, beginning as an assistant salesperson in the 1960s and retiring early in 2005 as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Nunhems B.V. in The Netherlands.  Mr. van Kesteren has in recent years also served as a member of the Management Committee of Bayer Crop Science – BioScience in France.

In making the announcement, Kelly Kincannon, CEO of Kincannon & Reed, said, “Pieter is a wonderful addition to our firm.  I’ve known Pieter for over twenty years and have been very impressed with his management skills, his international perspective and his excellent interpersonal skills.  Pieter’s experience will add depth to our practice and our ability to serve our clients’ needs to recruit senior executive and board-level talent.”

Mr. van Kesteren commented that “the opportunity to represent Kincannon & Reed and to utilize my many years of experience in international agribusiness will be a wonderful capstone for my career and a means for me to continue in service.”

Mr. van Kesteren’s accomplishments include pioneering and developing markets throughout western, northern and eastern Europe, exploring business potential in Asia, and building the North American subsidiary for Nunhems into a market leader in seed technology and the vegetable seed business.

In 1998, Mr. van Kesteren assumed the role of Managing Director of Sunseeds, Inc., a major US hybrid vegetable seed company acquired by Nunhems, and in 2002 he assumed the position of Chairman of the Board and CEO of Nunhems B.V., the position he held until his retirement.

Mr. van Kesteren will have offices in the Salinas Valley in California and in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.