Kiremko, Idaho Steel & Reyco Announce New Leadership

Kiremko, Idaho Steel and Reyco are pleased to announce the appointment of Gerardo Chiaia as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Kees van der Drift as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

These appointments mark a new phase of growth and leadership as the three companies move forward together under common ownership following their recent acquisition by Investindustrial. The Group is entering an exciting period to strengthen its position as a global leader in food processing systems.

3 November 2025

Keywords
Leadership appointment
Gerardo Chiaia - CEO
Kees van der Drift - CFO
Investindustrial
Kiremko, Idaho Steel and Reyco

With more than 25 years of international leadership experience in advanced manufacturing and packaging industries, Gerardo Chiaia brings a proven track record of transformation and value creation. Before joining Kiremko, Idaho Steel and Reyco Group, he served as President at Husky Injection Molding Systems, leading major business units across Asia and globally, and as CEO of Logoplaste, a worldwide leader in rigid plastic packaging. His global perspective and collaborative leadership style will guide the Group into its next phase of integration and innovation.

“As Kiremko, Idaho Steel and Reyco move forward together, we extend our sincere appreciation to the Oosterlaken, Gowing, Bradshaw, and Christensen families for their decades of vision, dedication, and leadership. Together, we form now a leading global provider of potato and food processing systems and services, built on a common reputation for engineering excellence, innovation, and service. We are fortunate to have great people with a proud history, strong values, and a successful legacy. This new group represents more than a merger, it marks the beginning of a shared journey defined by unity, purpose, and the determination to set a new standard for performance, partnership, and innovation,” said Gerardo Chiaia, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Kees van der Drift, the newly appointed CFO, is a seasoned financial executive with more than 40 years of successful experience in international finance, M&A, and strategic transformation. Among others, he previously served as Chief Financial Officer at Ammeraal Beltech, a global leader in conveyor belting solutions, and most recently as CFO at Datamars, a Swiss-based global technology company. In both roles, he led successful M&A integrations, strengthened financial transparency, and built forward-looking finance organizations that supported business growth and long-term value creation.

“This is a truly exciting opportunity to help shape a unified global business with extraordinary potential,” said Kees van der Drift, Chief Financial Officer. “By combining the complementary strengths of Kiremko, Idaho Steel and Reyco, we are building a stronger, more agile organization, one that can deliver greater value for our customers and partners while driving sustainable growth and innovation across the food processing industry.”

With the backing of Investindustrial, the Group is well positioned to leverage its complementary strengths, accelerate global expansion, and extend its leadership into adjacent food processing equipment categories. The combined organization will continue to deliver advanced, customized solutions to customers worldwide, driving innovation, quality, and reliability across every stage of the potato processing value chain.

The Group Executive Team will bring together deep industry experience and regional expertise to drive this next phase of growth. It will be composed of Gerardo Chiaia, President and Chief Executive Officer; Kees van der Drift, Chief Financial Officer; Marcel van Huissteden, President EMEA, Asia & Pacific; and Jon Christensen, President Americas.