Directorate Change
14 April 2011
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc
Bart Becht to retire as Chief Executive Officer
Rakesh Kapoor of RB to be appointed as new CEO
The Board of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (RB) today announces the retirement of
Bart Becht as CEO and is pleased to announce the appointment of Rakesh Kapoor
as CEO designate. Rakesh Kapoor has a 25 year career with RB and is currently
executive vice president global category development at RB and an Executive
Committee member
Rakesh Kapoor becomes CEO effective 1 September 2011 with Bart Becht staying on
as part time adviser to Rakesh and the Board until September 2012 to ensure a
smooth transition.
Rakesh Kapoor joined RB in India in 1987 and was appointed to the Executive
Committee in 2006 to lead the two key drivers of RB's continued above
industry-average growth - its global Powerbrand strategies and innovations.
Prior to this Rakesh had a highly successful career in RB, including leading
the UK and Northern Europe business to the best financial performance these
businesses have ever delivered. He has extensive experience of the household,
health and personal care categories, and an intimate knowledge and
understanding of consumers and retailers in both developing and developed
countries.
Having led the pan-European and largest health care business in RB, when also
leading Northern Europe, he was one of the architects of the Boots Healthcare
International acquisition in 2006 which transformed RB into a global consumer
health care company. He has been equally involved in the recent SSL and Paras
India acquisitions.
Commenting on today's announcement, Adrian Bellamy, Chairman, said:
"The Board is delighted that someone of Rakesh Kapoor's calibre is able to step
into the role of CEO. His close involvement in the drivers of success at RB and
significant achievements to date are reassurance that the excellent performance
for which RB has become renowned is set to continue.
"Consistent with its succession plan, the Board was unanimous in its choice of
Rakesh as he has the necessary drive, strategic thinking and operational
experience coupled with a more than intimate understanding of and capability to
improve RB's financial performance and earnings model. He is supported by an
excellent team of senior executives."
"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Bart Becht for his outstanding
contributions to Reckitt Benckiser at its helm and the performance delivered
over the last 16 years. It is testament to his leadership that we are so well
placed in terms of succession and depth of senior management strength."
Commenting on today's announcement, Bart Becht, Chief Executive Officer, said:
"I am honoured to have been CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, and to have had the
opportunity to work with such an entrepreneurial, talented and innovative group
of people who have created what I believe is the leading global home, health
and personal care company. After 16 years in the role, I believe now is the
right time to retire. We have the strongest senior management cadre we have
ever had, our new CFO has bedded-in excellently and our SSL integration is on
track and by September will be all but completed."
"It gives me great pleasure to see Rakesh as the new CEO of RB. He has an
outstanding track record of performance over many years, with broad experience
across developing and developed markets, and all categories. I have seen his
considerable leadership and commercial skills in operation and he will be a
strong leader for RB in the future."
Rakesh Kapoor, CEO designate, also commented: "I am delighted to take on this
role and very much look forward to leading the business to its next stage of
growth and performance, supported by an excellent senior management team."
* ENDS -
Adrian Bellamy will host a conference call for investors and analysts today to
discuss this announcement, details of which are as follows:
Conference call Reckitt Benckiser Announcement
title:
Date: Thursday 14th April
Dial-in number: +44 (0)20 7162 0125
Freephone number: 0500 551088 (UK only)
Time: Dial-in available from 15:50 (UK) for a 16:00 (UK)
start)
Replay: Available until 28th April
Replay number: +44 (0)20 7031 4064
Freephone number: 0800 358 1860 (UK only)
Access code: 893410
Notes to Editors:
Rakesh Kapoor, CEO Designate
(Becomes RB CEO 1 Sept 2011)
Biographical Details
2006-11 Reckitt Benckiser - EVP Category Development
2006, appointed to the Executive Committee as executive vice president for
global category development, which includes global marketing, R&D, market
research, product design, marketing strategy, media and digital marketing.
Accountable for two key drivers of RB's continued above industry average growth
- the global Powerbrand strategies and innovations. During his tenure
Powerbrands have grown from 57% of RB's annual net revenue (sales) to 69% in
2010. Over the same period an average of over 30% of net revenue has come from
innovations launched in the last 3 years; an industry leading performance.
In addition to driving organic growth he has been intimately involved in the
selective M&A activity of recent years, culminating in the recent SSL and Paras
India health care acquisitions.
2001-06 Reckitt Benckiser - SVP Regional Director Northern Europe & European
Heath Care
Appointed to the newly created Northern Europe region which included P&L
responsibility for UK, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries. To this was
added full P&L responsibility for total Europe health care.
Grew the business unit by a double digit CAGR and significantly enhanced its
earnings model, taking it to one of the largest and most profitable businesses
in RB.
In his role as leader of European health care - then the largest health care
operation in the business - he was one of the architects of the Boots
Healthcare International acquisition and integration, which set RB as a global
consumer health care company.
1999-2001 Reckitt Benckiser plc - SVP - Global Category Officer Home Care -
headquarters (UK)
Upon the merger, Rakesh was appointed global category marketing leadership home
care - first comprising pest control and then air care and shoe care.
1997-99 Reckitt & Colman plc - A Global Marketing Director - headquarters (UK)
A global head office role supporting the creation of a global category
organisation and portfolio strategy.
1996-97 Reckitt & Colman - Vice President Marketing India and Regional
Marketing Director - South Asia
Promoted to regional marketing director for South Asia.
1994-96 Reckitt & Colman - General Manager - Southern India
General manager Reckitt & Colman Southern India, with P&L accountability. India
at that time was split into four separate businesses. He turned it into the
best performing business for the company in India
1991-94 Reckitt & Colman - Marketing Manager Personal Care, India
Promoted to marketing manager for personal care in the North India business.
1987-91 Reckitt & Colman - Regional Sales Manager - Northern India
First role in RB; regional sales manager Northern India.
1982-87 Network Ltd, part of Hindustan Computers Ltd. - India
Information technology start up. Set up a new office which he grew to be the
second biggest office with a staff of 25 and was promoted to the strategic
business unit head of the company's services group.
Education
Masters in Business Management (MBA) from XLRI, Jamshedpur, India.
BSc, Chemical Engineering from the Business Institute of Technical Studies
(BITS), Pilani India.
The Modern School, New Delhi
Home
Married with two children. Lives in Buckinghamshire, conveniently located for
RB's Slough Head Office and Heathrow Airport. A keen football and cricket
follower he is an accomplished Bridge player and enjoys reading and music.
About Reckitt Benckiser (RB)
Reckitt Benckiser (RB) is a world leader in household, health and personal
care.
It is a FTSE top 25 company and since 2000 net revenues have doubled and the
market cap has quadrupled. Today it is the global No 1 or No 2 in the majority
of its fast-growing categories, driven by an exceptional rate of innovation -
typically about 35% of net revenue comes from innovations launched in the prior
3 years. It has a strong portfolio led by 19 global powerbrands which are:
Finish, Lysol, Dettol, Vanish, Woolite, Durex, Calgon, Airwick, Harpic, Bang,
Mortein, Veet, Nurofen, Clearasil, Strepsils Gaviscon, Mucinex, Scholl and
French's, and they account for 69% of net revenue.
RB people are at the heart of the company's success. They have an intense drive
for progress and action and a desire to outperform wherever they focus,
including in CSR where the company has the most ambitious corporate
responsibility programme in the industry through its Carbon 20 initiative.
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the company employs about 27,000 people
worldwide, with operations in over 60 countries and sales in almost 200
countries.
For more information visit RB.COM
For further information, please contact:
Reckitt Benckiser +44 (0)1753 217800
Joanna Speed
Director, Investor Relations
Andraea Dawson-Shepherd
SVP, Global Corporate Communication & Affairs
Brunswick (Financial PR) +44 (0)20 7404 5959
David Litterick / Teresa Bianchi
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