Billerud Appoints Ivar Vatne as President and Chief Executive Officer

Dec. 1, 2023 - The Board of Billerud has appointed Ivar Vatne as President and CEO of the company. Ivar Vatne has been acting President and CEO since July 2023 and enters the permanent position with immediate effect.

"The Board has conducted a thorough recruitment process and has evaluated both internal and external candidates," said Jan Svensson, Chairman of Billerud. "We are very pleased that Ivar is willing to take on the job and it shows real strength that we find the best candidate within the company.

"Ivar is a highly appreciated leader, and he has deep knowledge about the company's strategic direction. He has also proved that he understands the importance of continuous improvements to secure competitiveness, and has the ability to drive them," Svensson concluded.

Vatne started as CFO in Billerud in May 2019. He was appointed Deputy CEO in October 2022.

Vatne has served as the acting President and CEO of Billerud since July 28 when former President and CEO, Christoph Michalski, left the company.

Vatne has a background from senior positions within Arla, Fiskars and P&G.

Vatne commented, "I'm both happy and proud that the Board gives me the confidence to continue in the role as President and CEO. Billerud is a company with great potential and fantastic employees. I look forward to continuing the work of releasing that potential."

Billerud provides paper and packaging materials that challenge conventional packaging for a sustainable future. The company has production units in Sweden, USA, and Finland.

SOURCE: Billerud