AkzoNobel is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathryn Ledson as the new Managing Director for Decorative Paints UK & Ireland. Kathryn will succeed José Antonio Jiménez, who will take on the role of Marketing & Commercial Excellence Director at the company’s global headquarters in the Netherlands.
Kathryn, who joined AkzoNobel in 2011, has been instrumental in driving the company’s international key accounts, pricing, sales excellence, and the ecommerce/digital strategic growth agenda. Since 2022, she has also led AkzoNobel’s Decorative Paints Central Europe North business, spanning Poland, Baltics and Ukraine. Prior to this, Kathryn served as the company’s global Marketing Director for Decorative Paints and also held several senior roles in the UK & Ireland business.
Since taking on the Managing Director role in 2021, José Antonio has led the business to remarkable success; building enduring strategic partnerships with key customers, significantly boosting financial performance and improving productivity across all areas of the business.
Kathryn Ledson says: “I am honored to take on the role of Managing Director for our Decorative Paints business in the UK & Ireland and continue building on the strong foundation laid by José Antonio. I look forward to working with our talented team and our customers and partners to drive further growth and innovation.”
José Antonio Jiménez says: “It has been a privilege to lead the UK & Ireland business and witness the incredible achievements of our team over the past four years. I am confident that Kathryn will bring fresh perspectives and continue to propel the business, our brands and our customers forward.”
Paul Britton, CEO, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce says: “We wish José every success for the future, and we are grateful for his contribution to representing the views of an iconic global brand in the Thames Valley business community. A warm welcome to Kathryn, we look forward to working her and the AkzoNobel executive team.”
The change will be effective from April 1, 2025.
