Global Cement News

Ireland: Ecocem has appointed Ghizlane Ruf as its Chief of Staff. The role will see her work with the company’s senior executives to prioritise strategic business decisions and enhance team efficiency. She has been in post since the start of 2024.

Ruf previously worked for LafargeHolcim from 2016 to 2022 in a variety of customer service roles eventually becoming the Head of Customer Services for Cements and Aggregates and Standards France. She has also worked for Salesforce and Teksial.

South Africa: PPC has appointed Roann Heunis as its National Technical Manager. Prior to this he worked as a manager and a technical consultant for the building materials producer. Earlier in his career, Heunis was a Technical Sales Representative for Chryso Southern Africa. He holds a qualification in civil engineering from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

US: Command Alkon has appointed Ron Carlson as Senior Vice President, Industry Liaison. The role will involve enhancing customer engagement, providing strategic industry insights, and fostering long-term relationships with key accounts.

Carlson previously worked as the Executive Vice President of Operations at Superior Materials, a Votorantim Cimentos North America company based in Detroit, and Wingra Ready-Mix and Stone Company based in Madison, Wisconsin. Prior to this he spent a decade with Ozinga Ready-Mix in Chicago. Carlson currently sits on the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s Operations Environment and Safety Committee, and he has also served as an elected board member of the Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

US: Saxum has appointed Jared Weston as General Manager for North American Operations & VP of Strategic Planning. He previously worked as Director of Sales and VP of Strategic Planning for the engineering and project management company. Earlier in his career he spent over 15 years working for FLSmidth, starting as a commissioning engineer in 2006 and becoming head of Capital Sales from 2020 to 2023. Weston is a graduate in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from Penn State University.

Kenya: The government has decided to sell its entire 25% stake in East African Portland Cement Company, as part of a strategic reform of its investments, guided by the International Monetary Fund. The Star newspaper has reported that the government expects to earn US$134m from the sale. It reportedly sold 30% of shares in the producer for US$117m in 2023.

Of East African Portland Cement Company’s multiple minority shareholders, the largest is Lafarge South Africa, with 42% of shares, followed by the Kenyan National Social Security Fund, with 27%.