Akzo Nobel names Poux-Guillaume as new chief executive

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Poux-Guillaume, 52, will take over from incumbent Thierry Vanlancker when his term ends, the Dutch company said, if shareholders approve the move at a general vote in September.

He previously headed Swiss manufacturing firm Sulzer and was a senior executive at private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.

“We’re grateful for Thierry’s leadership,” supervisory chairman Nils Smedegaard Andersen said in a statement.

The period saw Akzo Nobel split off the specialty chemicals business to become a focused and competitive paints and coatings company, he added.

Vanlancker took the role in 2017, shortly after Akzo Nobel fended off a 26-billion-euro ($28-billion) takeover bid by U.S. rival PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG).

It sold its specialty chemicals division the following year for 10 billion euros, distributing the proceeds to shareholders.

($1=0.9455 euros)