THE board of Berry Global Group has elected Kevin Kwilinski as CEO, effective from October 2, 2023. Stephen Sterrett, lead independent director, has been elected chairman of the board, effective from the same date.
The moves follow the announcement earlier this year that Tom Salmon will retire from his roles as CEO and chairman, though Berry revealed he will remain with the company through the end of the calendar year in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition.
Mr Kwilinski brings almost three decades of experience in the packaging industry to the role. He currently serves as president and CEO of Multi-Color Corporation, a provider of label solutions, where he has led and integrated multiple acquisitions, resulting in ‘significant’ EBITDA and revenue growth. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Fort Dearborn Company, a supplier of decorative labels for the beverage, food, household products, nutraceutical, paint and coatings sectors, which merged with Multi-Color in July 2021 with the backing of private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Mr. Kwilinski previously served as CEO of Paperworks Industries.
“Following a comprehensive search process, the board determined that Kevin is the ideal individual to guide Berry through its next phase of growth and value creation,” Mr Sterrett said. “Kevin is a proven leader who knows our industry well. He has spent the last 15 years serving as the CEO of companies within the packaging space and, as an Indiana native, he understands the importance of Berry Global to the State.
“Kevin will be a great leader because he shares Berry’s values of teamwork, customer-focus and excellence, and his performance-driven leadership style directly aligns with Berry’s culture. He has distinguished himself over the course of his career as a disciplined operator with a focus on revenue growth and cost management. We are confident that he will be an outstanding CEO with the skills necessary to achieve our strategic objectives and accelerate shareholder value.”
Mr. Kwilinski added, “I am excited to join Berry, a company with a proud 56-year history and a reputation for excellence in the packaging industry. What attracted me to Berry is its ability to support customers at every stage of the product development process and deliver the most innovative solutions in the market.
“The efforts that Tom and the team have made over the last several years to pivot Berry’s portfolio into higher-growth markets, including food service, health and beauty, dispensing and pharmaceuticals, have created a strong foundation for future growth, and I am eager to capitalise on the opportunities ahead.”
Mr Sterrett concluded, “On behalf of the entire board, I thank Tom for his leadership and look forward to continuing to benefit from his strategic guidance for the remainder of the year. Since first joining Berry nearly 20 years ago, he has been instrumental to the company’s growth, and we wish him well in his retirement.”
Mr. Salmon said, “It has been a privilege to lead Berry’s talented employees as CEO for the past six years, and I am extremely proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the Berry team during my tenure. The board and I have full confidence in Kevin and in his ability to join with the rest of the leadership team to take the company forward into its next chapter.”
