AkzoNobel announces Fredrik Westin as Chief Financial Officer from January 1, 2026

AkzoNobel is pleased to announce that Fredrik Westin will become the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as of January 1, 2026. He’ll succeed Maarten de Vries – who is completing his second four-year term as CFO and member of the Board of Management – as part of a structured succession process.

Fredrik (52) is a Swedish national with more than 25 years of international experience in the industrial and automotive sectors. He has an impressive track record of delivering value by fostering a culture of performance, simplifying organizations, improving operational efficiency and aligning closely with customer needs.

Since May 2020, he’s been the CFO and Executive Vice-President at Autoliv (NYSE: ALV; Nasdaq Stockholm: ALIV), an automotive safety leader listed in both the US and Europe. Fredrik previously held CFO roles at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, and at Johnson Controls.

“Fredrik is a seasoned financial leader with a proven track record of enhancing profitability, even in challenging markets,” says Ben Noteboom, Chair of AkzoNobel’s Supervisory Board. His experience and insights will play an important role in driving operational efficiency and fostering sustainable growth across the organization. I look forward to having him on board.”

Adds Greg Poux-Guillaume, CEO of AkzoNobel: “Maarten has been instrumental in reshaping AkzoNobel into a focused and high-performing paints and coatings company. He’s reinvented our finance function and implemented world class systems which have transformed AkzoNobel into a data-driven organization. His dedication, leadership and focus on value creation are recognized by all and will continue to fuel our company for the rest of his tenure. Fredrik is the perfect successor to deliver our mid-term targets and take the company to the next level of performance.”

Commenting on his appointment, Fredrik says: “I’m honored to join AkzoNobel, a great company with a clear strategy. I'm eager to work with Greg and the executive team to accelerate our transformation and help strengthen our performance”.

Following Fredrik’s appointment as CFO, his nomination to AkzoNobel’s Board of Management will be subject to shareholder approval. Maarten de Vries will remain a member of the Board of Management to complete the handover, until he retires from AkzoNobel at the end of his second term in April 2026.

This is a public announcement by Akzo Nobel N.V. pursuant to section 17 paragraph 1 of the European Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014).

About AkzoNobel 

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing more sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.