Hinrichs takes over as the new managing director of QS

Handing over the baton at QS: Dr. Alexander Hinrichs (r) takes over as managing director of the international standard owner from the 1st of May. In the future, Dr. Hermann-Josef Nienhoff will lead the new Trade-Agriculture Coordination Centre.

Nienhoff hands over the baton after over 18 years

On the 1^st of May 2021, Dr. Alexander Hinrichs will take over as managing director of QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH. The 46-year-old follows in the footsteps of Dr. Hermann-Josef Nienhoff, who has occupied the position for over 18 years.

Hinrichs has been managing director of Initiative Tierwohl (Germany’s largest programme for animal welfare) since it was founded in 2015 and has successfully established its position in the market. In the future, he will be one of the two managing directors of Initiative Tierwohl. QS is not new territory for the highly qualified agricultural economist. He has already been a part of the QS team for nine years and has taken on various different roles, with the latest being that of Head of Controlling. Together with Nienhoff, he initiated the founding of Initiative Tierwohl six years ago out of QS.

An exciting challenge with highly relevant issues is waiting for me. I’m looking forward to taking on this new role, says Dr. Alexander Hinrichs. It is thanks to Hermann-Josef Nienhoff that I am inheriting such a healthy and well-positioned company.

Today, QS is active in the key sectors of the food industry. Hinrichs adds: Social and political pressure on the retail and food industry is increasing. For QS, it will be key to actively and reliably support our partners in the face of the various new challenges they face so that they can continue to offer safe and high-quality food.

I think that naming Alexander Hinrichs as managing director of QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH was the right decision at the right time, comments Dr. Hermann-Josef Nienhoff. I firmly believe that Alexander Hinrichs is the perfect person to lead QS into the future.

Nienhoff hands over a diverse international standard owner

After over 18 years, Dr. Hermann-Josef Nienhoff is handing over the baton to his successor. Nienhoff has significantly built up the QS scheme after it was founded in October 2001 and has continued to develop it ever since. Ensuring quality processes at all levels, working together with partners to develop practicable solutions for the entire chain, developing continuously and reacting dynamically to the requirements of the market, that was Nienhoff’s signature. After almost 20 years, the QS scheme has become the leading cross stage standard owner across national and industry borders under his leadership. Nienhoff: I have always highly valued the thematic range of QS and am thankful that I have had the opportunity to design, develop, build up and expand the interests of the economic stakeholders in this area.