Hansen, 65, who has overseen the company’s construction of the first new cattle slaughterhouse to be built in Denmark for decades, is to be succeeded by sales director Finn Klostermann, 48.
Peder Philipp, chairman of DC Beef, said: "The recruitment process... has confirmed our impression of Finn Klostermann as the person who can lead DC Beef into the future, while at the same time representing a generational change of management.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Lorenz Hansen deserves much of the credit for the fact that DC Beef is now Denmark’s largest cattle slaughterhouse and a division which, for a number of years, has been able to pay constantly increasing prices to the owners, thereby retaining its market share in a situation where Danish production is declining.
"Lorenz Hansen has used his long-standing experience from working in the beef market and his considerable insights into working processes as well as opportunities for innovation to build the position which DC Beef occupies today."