WestRock Announces Chief Executive Officer Succession Steven C. Voorhees to Step Down as Chief Executive Officer; Board of Directors Elects David B. Sewell as Successor

WestRock Company announced that Steven C. Voorhees has decided to step down from his position as president and chief executive officer and a director of the Company for health reasons, effective March 15, 2021. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors announced that, following a comprehensive search as part of the Company’s long-term succession processes, it has elected David B. Sewell to succeed Voorhees as WestRock’s president and chief executive officer at that time. Sewell has been appointed to the Board of Directors, effective as of when he assumes his new role, and Voorhees will be available to support a smooth transition.

Sewell, age 52, brings with him more than 25 years of commercial, marketing, and general management experience. He joins WestRock from The Sherwin-Williams Company, a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paint, coatings and related products, where he most recently served as president and chief operating officer responsible for global operating segments that generated $18.4 billion in sales and are supported by 60,000 team members. Prior to joining Sherwin-Williams, Sewell spent 15 years at General Electric Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Southern California.

Commenting on the appointment of Sewell as WestRock’s next CEO, John A. Luke, Jr., chairman of WestRock’s Board of Directors, stated, “Our decision to elect David as CEO is the result of a robust succession planning process, and he is the right choice to lead our Company into the future. David is a proven executive with a strong record of driving profitable growth, both organic and acquisitive, and building organizational capability that develops and nurtures excellent leadership and talent while driving a culture of equity and inclusion. The Board and I look forward to working closely with David and WestRock’s leadership team as the Company delivers on our strategy and generates strong returns for investors.”