Wouter Hut, chief procurement officer, has been appointed as a member of Ahlstrom’s Executive Management Team, effective June 1, 2023. Hut has been with Ahlstrom and in his current role as chief procurement officer since 2021.

“Wouter plays a key role in ensuring our commercial success and advancing us on our journey to become a global leader in sustainable fiber-based specialty materials. He has proven his ability to lead significant transformation and contributes greatly to our operational excellence through his strong leadership of the Ahlstrom Procurement team,” says Helen Mets, president and CEO of Ahlstrom.

Tarja Takko, EVP, People and Culture will leave Ahlstrom at the end of May to pursue new opportunities outside the company. A new CHRO will be announced in the coming weeks.

“I would like to personally thank Tarja for her commitment, dedication and engagement during her years at Ahlstrom. Tarja has played a strong leadership role in developing the culture and transforming Ahlstrom into the company we are today,” says Mets.

“I am happy and honored to have had the opportunity to work with the incredible Ahlstrom team. This has been a very rewarding journey, and together we have achieved so much. Ahlstrom has a unique culture of which I am particularly proud. As I continue my journey, I have every confidence that this team will continue to drive the growth and success of Ahlstrom,” says Takko.

Additionally, Konraad Dullaert has been appointed executive vice president for Science, Innovation and Sustainability and a member of the Executive Management Team, effective June 1, 2023.

In his role, Dullaert will be responsible for global innovation, sustainability, and commercial excellence as well as marketing within Ahlstrom. Dullaert will succeed Robin Guillaud, EVP Sustainability, Innovation and Marketing, who will leave Ahlstrom at the end of July to pursue new opportunities outside the company.

Dullaert has a strong track record in delivering innovation and growth and has held senior executive leadership positions at both Royal DSM, in the specialty materials and coatings space, and more recently at Covestro. He has extensive experience in leading complex global Science and Innovation teams, driving large-scale business transformations, and creating customer-centric and connected organizational cultures.

“I wish to thank Helen Mets and Ahlstrom for their confidence in me. Ahlstrom is a company whose expertise, product leadership and heritage I admire. I’m looking forward to working with my new colleagues to enable our sustainable growth journey and strengthen the company’s position as a global leader in sustainable fiber-based specialty materials,” says Dullaert.

“Science, sustainability and innovation are key drivers of growth at Ahlstrom, and Konraad has a unique combination of expertise and entrepreneurship to drive our sustainable value creation. I’m confident that his experience in shaping innovation portfolios to accelerate sustainable growth and driving greater customer-centricity will be key assets in strengthening Ahlstrom’s position as a global leader in sustainable fiber-based specialty materials. I’m delighted to welcome Konraad to the team as we take the next steps on our sustainable growth agenda,” says Mets.

“I would like to thank Robin for his dedication and commitment to Ahlstrom. Robin has contributed greatly to the success of the company during his career that has spanned two decades. I wish him success for the future,” Mets continues.

“My time at Ahlstrom has been extremely rewarding, and over the course of my career I have had the privilege of taking on many different roles with the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of Ahlstrom’s business. Together with our talented people, we have established a strong foundation for sustainable innovation and as I now move forward on my journey, I wish Konraad the best of success in his role,” says Guillaud.