US: Kent Webber has started his new role as president for Monarch Cement. He was appointed to the role in December 2017 following the resignation of Walter H Wulf, according to the Wichita Business Journal. Webber has worked for Monarch Cement since 2013, first as its subsidiary operations manager and then its executive vice president. Wulf will continue in his role as chairman of the board and as a director.

Ireland: Ernst Bärtschi has retired from the board of CRH. He was appointed to the board of directors in 2011. A Swiss national he was previously the chief executive officer of Sika and had worked for Schindler Group.

France: Patrick Debavelaere has been appointed as the director of LafargeHoclim’s Val d'Azergues cement plant near Lyon. He suceeds Thomas de Charrette who has been in post for six years, according to Le Pays Roannais newspaper. Debavelaere, aged 43 years, had been working as an industrial director for Lafarge France’s aggregate business. Prior to this he was the production manager at the Martres cement plant.

Denmark: FLSmidth has appointed Jan Kjaersgaard as a new Group Executive Vice President, Product Companies Division, and a member of Group Executive Management. Kjaersgaard, aged 51 years and a Danish citizen, will take up the position as head of Product Companies Division on 1 March 2018.

Kjaersgaard holds a Master of Business Administration from Aalborg University and comes from Bladt Industries where he currently serves as chief executive officer (CEO). His previous postings include various senior positions at Siemens Wind Power.