Univar Inc. reported that J. Erik (Erik) Fyrwald will join Univar as president and chief executive officer effective May 7. Fyrwald, age 52, is currently president of Ecolab, a global provider of water, hygiene and energy technologies that merged with Nalco in December 2011. Fyrwald will also become a member of Univar’s board of directors.

As a result of the addition of Fyrwald to the executive team, Univar’s current President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John J. Zillmer will assume the position of executive chairman of Univar and its board of directors, succeeding William S. Stavropoulos, who will move to the role of lead director. As executive chairman, Zillmer will continue to focus on leadership development, corporate strategy, and the company’s global growth initiatives.

“This is a great opportunity for Univar to continue strengthening its leadership team and business momentum,” said Univar President and CEO, John Zillmer. “At Nalco, Erik brought focused attention to creating the capabilities needed to support the company’s dynamic growth. With his record of strong business leadership and results, the board of directors and I are very confident in his ability to help lead Univar as we continue to expand our global footprint.”

Tags: Univar inc.