AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.akzonobel.com) announced Thierry Vanlancker as its new CEO, as current chief Ton Büchner steps down with immediate effect due to health reasons.
Büchner joined AkzoNobel in 2012 and has been responsible for significantly improving the performance of the company, increasing profitability and cash flow to record levels. He put in place a solid operational and financial foundation, which enabled the company to recently announce the creation of two focused high performing businesses; Paints and Coatings and Specialty Chemicals.
Vanlancker was most recently head of Specialty Chemicals at AkzoNobel, having joined the company in 2016. A Belgian national, prior to joining AkzoNobel he was President – Fluoroproducts for Chemours, the spin-off company of DuPont’s chemical businesses formed in 2015.
Ton Büchner commented: “It was a privilege to work for AkzoNobel and I am extremely proud of all the achievements the team delivered during my five years at the company. AkzoNobel is full of highly engaged, talented and passionate people who deliver every day for our customers and I want to thank all of them for their contribution and support over the years. Our commitment to value creation, sustainability, innovation and the communities in which we operate is a major driver of our success. Thierry Vanlancker is a great addition to the team and is well placed to take AkzoNobel forward, delivering long term value creation for all stakeholders. I wish Thierry all the best.”
Thierry Vanlancker joined DuPont in 1988 and held a number of senior positions both in Europe and the US, including Vice-President Performance Coatings and Business Manager of Refinish Systems across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
A successor for the Head of Specialty Chemicals will be announced at a future date.