April 25, 2012—Ton Büchner this week was appointed CEO of AkzoNobel and member of its Board of Management as Hans Wijers stepped down from his post.

This had been the plan since last summer, when the company announced Wijers’ plans to step down, but it became official this week, according to a statement from AkzoNobel.

Büchner comes to the company having previously served as president and CEO of Sulzer AG, a Swiss public company. He began his career as an offshore oil and gas construction engineer with Allseas Engineering in Europe, and then took a job with AkerKvaener throughout South East Asia for several years.

“We are fortunate to have secured Ton Büchner as our new CEO. His proven strategic experience leading a public company, and his expertise in the global industrial arena make him the ideal candidate for this role,” Karel Vuursteen, chairman of AkzoNobel’s Supervisory Board, said in a prepared statement release_notesd last year. “He also has an excellent track record of delivering strong results and experience of leading businesses in high-growth markets. We look forward to Ton joining us and building on the strong foundations left by his predecessor.”

Vuursteen had also said Wijers built a considerable legacy at the company.

“The transformation of the company from a diverse conglomerate in 2003 to a focused, global market leader in coatings, specialty chemicals and sustainability is due, in large part, to his vision and drive,” Vuursteen said. “He will leave behind a business which is both operationally and financially strong; capable of continuing to grow and to deliver real value to all stakeholders.”

AkzoNobel this week thanked Wijers for his long and successful tenure at the company.