Domtar will have a new president and CEO, starting in 2023.
Steve Henry, currently the forest products company's senior vice-president of packaging, will take over the role next summer.
He will succeed current president and CEO John Williams, who has been in the role for 14 years and will retire on June 30, 2023.
Domtar, a subsidiary of Richmond, B.C.-based Paper Excellence, operates pulp and paper mills in Dryden and Espanola, which produce Northern bleached softwood kraft pulp and various grades of technical and specialty papers.
Williams heralded his replacement in a Domtar news release.
“Steve has been a smart and dependable leader during his career at Domtar. I have relied on his expertise over the years, most recently as he engineered Domtar’s entry into the packaging business,” Williams said.
“In 2023, we will celebrate our 175th year in business. I am confident that Steve is the right leader for this time in Domtar’s history.”
Henry is described as an “experienced and innovative leader,” who is well respected at the company and within the industry.
Throughout his 27 years in the sector, he's held various positions with Georgia-Pacific, Weyerhaeuser and International Paper before joining Domtar in 2011.
He was named Mill Manager of the Year by the industry group TAPPI/PIMA in 2016.
The company said Henry has led Domtar's entry into the packaging business, which is accompanied by a $350-million capital project converting the company's Kingsport, Tennessee, paper mill to produce containerboard. It is expected to start up by year's end.
During the transition of leadership, Henry will serve as executive vice-president and chief operating officer, effective immediately.
