“It’ll be culture, it’s got to be about how do we blend the good bits of Smurfit Kappa with the good bits of WestRock”

Ken Bowles, CFO of Smurfit Kappa Group,  shares his insights on the recent announcement of the merger with WestRock creating the world’s largest packaging company with combined revenue of circa $34bn, EBITDA of $5.5bn and circa 100,000 employees across 42 countries.  Among other things, he shares his thoughts on the importance of culture within an organisation, Smurfit Kappa’s purpose to create, protect & care for people and the environment, his longstanding passion for sustainability and who he would invite to the ultimate dinner party!

A graduate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Ken holds a first class MBA from UCD. He was appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer of Smurfit Kappa in April 2016.
 He previously served as Group Financial Controller and held a number of other senior financial roles in the Group since joining in 1994. A passionate advocate for sustainability and environmental responsibility, Ken plays a crucial role in aligning Smurfit Kappa's financial strategies with its sustainability goals.
 Some of his notable career highlights include the take private in 2002 and the merger with Kappa Packaging in 2005. The newly minted Smurfit Kappa went public again, marking the largest IPO in the paper packaging sector in 2007.