Directors Addition Finalizes the AkzoNobel and Axalta Board 

Akzo Nobel (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) announced that Stephan B. Tanda, Denise C. Johnson and Robert Schuchna have agreed to serve as non-executive directors of the combined company upon completion of their pending merger of equals.

Rakesh Sachdev, chair of the Axalta board of directors, who will serve as chair of the combined company board, stated, “We are pleased to announce that Stephan, Denise and Robert will join the combined company Board upon closing of our merger. Stephan and Denise each bring significant senior executive experience, driving growth in a variety of industrial businesses, and Robert’s deep investment background will reinforce the board’s focus on long-term value creation. Together, their expertise will further strengthen the board and enhance its oversight of the combined company’s strategic priorities.”

As of closing, the combined company board will be composed of Rakesh Sachdev (chair), Ben Noteboom (vice-chair), Greg Poux-Guillaume (CEO), Chris Villavarayan (deputy CEO), Jaska de Bakker, Jan Bertsch, Denise Johnson, Wouter Kolk, Robert Schuchna, Kevin Stein and Stephan Tanda.

Johnson is currently a group president of Caterpillar and is responsible for resource industries. She also serves as a director of ABB, a global technology company focused on electrification and automation.

Schuchna is a partner at Cevian Capital, the leading active ownership fund focused on public companies in Europe. He has played an instrumental role in investments across the chemicals, consumer goods, industrials and pharma sectors, from initial due diligence through the development and implementation of value-enhancement plans. Schuchna currently serves on the AkzoNobel Supervisory Board, as well as the Board of Directors of Rexel.

Tanda retired as CEO of AptarGroup on Sept. 1, 2026. Previously, he served as an executive managing board director for 10 years at Royal DSM NV. His career also includes leadership roles at DuPont and Freudenberg Nonwovens Group. He also previously served as a director on the board of Patheon NV, a Pharma Custom Manufacturer, from its IPO to its sale to ThermoFisher Scientific, and on the board of Semperit AG.