Hajir Hajji is the new CEO of Action and successor of Sander van der Laan

The handover marks the next phase of development for Action which includes further implementation of a digital and sustainability strategy. Hajir will formally become CEO of Action on 1 January 2022, while Sander will remain with the company until the end of March 2022 to ensure a smooth transition. 

Sander van der Laan: “It has been a great pleasure to lead such a great company and team. The passion and drive of our employees has been a source of inspiration for me. We will soon be opening our 2000th store and I believe this is the right time for Hajir to take over from me.” 

Hajir Hajji joined Action 24 years ago as a store employee. Over the years, she has successfully worked her way through the ranks of the organization in a variety of management roles. Hajir was Director Store Operations for 7 years, responsible for Action’s sales and international retail operations, including the opening of new stores and expansion to new markets. The past three years, Hajir worked as Commercial Director, responsible, amongst other things, for global buying, marketing, e-commerce and sustainability. Hajir has been a member of the executive management team since 2011. 

Hajir Hajji: “As we move into a next phase of growth and development, I intend to continue building on our past achievements and explore with our 65.000 dedicated employees and our partners the opportunities ahead.”

Simon Borrows, Chairman of the Board of Action and CEO of 3i Group adds: “Hajir is a significant part of the Action DNA and the natural successor to Sander. Action is ready for the next phase of its growth agenda with an increased focus on digital and sustainable growth, two areas for which Hajir is currently responsible.”