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Tag: board of directors

  • Universal Announces New Board Member

    Universal Announces New Board Member

    Universal Corporation appointed Gregory A. Trojan to its board of directors, effective immediately. Trojan brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the restaurant, retail, and consumer products sectors. He previously served as CEO of BJ’s Restaurants from 2013 to 2021 and was a board member until September 2025. His past roles include CEO of Guitar Center and House of Blues Entertainment, along with senior positions at PepsiCo. He currently serves on the boards of Casey’s General Stores, Inc. and CEC Brands, LLC (parent of Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza).

    Universal chairman, president, and CEO Preston D. Wigner said Trojan’s strategic and operational expertise will support the company’s growth priorities across its tobacco and ingredients platforms.

  • BAT Appoints Matt Wright to Board

    BAT Appoints Matt Wright to Board

    Today (October 14), BAT announced that Matthew Wright will join its board as an independent non-executive director and will serve on the company’s Remuneration and Nominations Committees, effective November 1. Wright brings decades of experience advising global organizations on senior talent recruitment, retention, and leadership development, having held senior roles at Russell Reynolds Associates, Korn/Ferry International, and other executive advisory firms.

    Luc Jobin, Chair of BAT’s board, said Wright’s appointment strengthens the company’s focus on cultural transformation and international growth. “Matt brings valuable experience in this area,” Jobin said, noting his expertise across Asia, Europe, and the US and his track record in guiding organizations through periods of growth and transformation.

    Wright currently serves as non-executive director of Berry Bros. & Rudd Ltd, chairs its Remuneration Committee, and is chairman of Cripps Leadership Advisors as well as chair designate and senior advisor of Movemeon. BAT said his leadership and people-focused experience are expected to support the company’s ongoing ambition to build a Smokeless World.

  • Luersman Joins Imperial Board

    Luersman Joins Imperial Board

    Abbe Luersman will join the Imperial Brands’ board as a nonexecutive director, effective January 12, 2026, according to a press release.

    Luersman, who is chief human resources officer of Walgreens Inc., has had a career as an HR leader in global listed businesses including Otis Worldwide Corporation, Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV, Unilever, and Whirlpool Corporation. She is also a nonexecutive director and remuneration committee chair at Just Eat Takeaway NV and co-chair of the Gartner CHRO Global Leadership Board.

    Thérèse Esperdy, chair of Imperial Brands, said, “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Abbe to Imperial. Abbe has a proven track record in organizational design, integration and cultural change—both as a chief people officer and a nonexecutive director. She has transferred her skills across different sectors, including consumer goods, retail, manufacturing, and industrial technology. Abbe brings deep and wide-ranging experience in transformation programs, an area of strategic importance for Imperial Brands. The board will benefit greatly from her insights and experience, and we look forward to working with her.”

    Luersman will become a member of the Remuneration and the People, Governance and Sustainability Committees upon joining the board.

  • Victoria Harker Joins PMI Board

    Victoria Harker Joins PMI Board

    Image: Syda Productions

    Philip Morris International appointed a new member, Victoria Harker, to serve on the board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2024.

    Harker is an experienced U.S. public-company chief financial officer, having served in the role with three different companies, and she has been involved in significant corporate transformations in the consumer, industrial and utility sectors for over 25 years. She is a high-energy, action-oriented, strategic executive who has worked at a significant scale, most recently as executive vice president and chief financial officer of TEGNA Inc., a global media and digital communications company, a position she will step down from effective Dec. 31, 2023. Prior to this, she served as executive vice president, chief financial officer and president of global business services of The AES Corporation, a global power company. She has served as a nonexecutive member of the boards of directors of two large and complex U.S. public companies, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Xylem Inc., since the time of their respective spinoffs. Harker also serves as the audit committee chair for Huntington Ingalls Industries and as the compensation committee chair for Xylem Inc. She is vice chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, a member of the University of Virginia Health System board and was previously a member of the University of Virginia board of visitors.

    Andre Calantzopoulos, PMI’s executive chairman, commended Harker on the appointment, and said in a statement, “We are delighted to welcome Victoria to the PMI board of directors. Her broad finance and business experience will further strengthen and diversify the capabilities of our board in successfully guiding our company through its ambitious and highly promising journey toward a smoke-free future and beyond.”

  • Board Members Nominated at Stora Enso

    Board Members Nominated at Stora Enso

    Photo: bas121 | Adobe Stock

    Stora Enso’s shareholders’ nomination board will propose nine board members at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) on March 15, according to a company press release.

    The shareholders’ nomination board proposes that Hakan Buskhe, Elisabeth Fleuriot, Hock Goh, Helena Hedblom, Christiane Kuehne, Antti Makinen, Richard Nilsson and Hans Sohlstrom be reelected members of the board of directors until the end of the following AGM and that Kari Jordan be elected new member of the board of directors for the same term of office.

    The shareholders’ nomination board proposes that Antti Makinen be elected chair and Hakan Buskhe be elected vice chair of the board of directors.

    Mikko Helander announced that he is not available for reelection to the board of directors.