Board Appointment

Smurfit Kappa Group plc (“SKG” or the “Group”), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of paper-based packaging products, with operations in Europe and the Americas, announces the appointment of Dr María de Lourdes Melgar Palacios (Lourdes Melgar) to the Board as an independent, non-executive director with effect from 1 January 2020.  

Dr Lourdes Melgar

Lourdes, a Mexican citizen, is recognised for her expertise in the areas of energy and public policy. In her 26-year career she has held a number of roles at the top levels of government, in academia and in the private sector. 

For 16 years, Lourdes served in the Mexican Government, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the Ministry of Energy. In 2005, she was appointed minister at the Mexican mission to the OECD in Paris. From December 2012 to February 2014, she served as Vice-Minister for Electricity prior to her appointment as Vice-Minister of Hydrocarbons, a position she held until July 2016. 

Lourdes also has extensive experience in private sector projects, including sustainability programme design and implementation, and wider policy initiatives in the energy sector. She played an instrumental role in the design and implementation of Mexico’s recent energy reform. She also previously served as a Director on the Boards of Petroleos Mexicanos and the Federal Electricity Commission.

Lourdes is currently a consultant at DAI and is a Research Affiliate at the Center for Collective Intelligence at MIT. She currently serves on the Board of Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico.

Irial Finan, Smurfit Kappa Group Chair, commented: 

“We look forward to broadening the expertise and diversity of the Board with the appointment of Lourdes as an independent non-executive director. Lourdes' extensive career in energy, sustainability and business in Latin America will add valuable insight to the Board.” 

SKG confirms that there are no further disclosures required under paragraph 9.6.13R of the Listing Rules in relation to this appointment.