People

UK: Mike Pearce has been appointed as the chief executive for the Southern division of Breedon Group. He is currently managing director of the Aggregates division of Aggregate Industries Limited (AI). Pearce will take up the position in 2018, joining Breedon’s executive committee and succeeding Tim Hall, who will be leaving the company at the end of September 2017. In the interim, the Southern division will be led by Colin Parke, who currently runs Breedon Southern’s Central region, reporting to group chief executive Pat Ward.

Pearce was previously the commercial director for AI, coordinating strategic activities across its business divisions, whilse also managing the contracting division. He has been a member of AI’s executive committee since 2009, during which time he has been variously responsible for AI’s building products, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt businesses.

South Africa: Lafarge South Africa has appointed Rossen Papazov as its country chief executive officer (CEO). Papazov will join the company with effect from 1 October 2017, according to Business Report. He has been the country head for Holcim in Azerbaijan for the last four years. Prior to this he originally joined Holcim in 2000 as its Business Development Manager for Bulgaria. He has also held roles in Belgium and Romania.

Sweden: Magnus Ohlsson has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cementa. Ohlsson has worked for Cementa and its parent company HeidelbergCement in various roles. Since 2014 he has been the Marketing Manager and Vice President of Cementa. He will continue to manage marketing in his new position. He succeeds Jan Gånge who will become the Finance Director and Deputy General Manager for HeidelbergCement Northern Europe.

US: The board of directors of Rockwell Automation has elected president and chief executive officer (CEO) Blake D Moret as its chairman with effect from 1 January 2018. Moret, aged 54 years, succeeds Keith D Nosbusch, who has served as chairman since 2005 and remains as a director. The company will continue to have an independent lead director.

Moret began his career in 1985 as a sales trainee, and subsequently served in senior positions across the organisation, including international assignments in Europe and Canada. He was promoted to senior vice president of Control Products & Solutions, one of the company’s two business segments, in 2011, and to president and chief executive officer in July 2016.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He serves on the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) Board of Directors and Executive Committee and on the boards of other industry and civic organizations and is a member of the Business Roundtable.

Sweden: SKF has appointed Kent Viitanen as its President of Bearing Operation. He was previously Senior Vice President, Group People, Communication and Quality.

Viitanen joined SKF in 1988 and has held a number of business unit and factory management roles in Sweden and internationally. The Group Quality function will also be integrated into Bearing Operations. He succeeds Luc Graux, who will take up a new role within Bearing Operations. Carina Bergfelt, in addition to her role as General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Legal and Sustainability, will take on the responsibility for People and Communication.