Houghton Int'l appoints Kevin Smith to lead transportation segment

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania – Houghton International Inc., a global source for metalworking fluids and services, has appointed Kevin Smith to the positions of senior vice president, Houghton International and president, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Global Automotive and Aerospace, effective Feb. 1, 2016. Smith will be based in the company’s Manchester, UK office and report to CEO Mike Shannon. 

 

Smith will assume responsibility for the general management of Houghton’s EMEA region and the global leadership of Houghton specialty product lines for the major transportation industry segments, including automotive and aerospace. He will become a member of Houghton’s Executive Committee. 

 

“Kevin brings to Houghton more than 30 years of commercial and general management experience in global industrial, specialty chemical, and consulting businesses,” said Shannon. “His broad leadership experience is essential to supporting our ambitious plans to accelerate growth in EMEA and expand our metalworking fluids business with global transportation industries.”

 

Prior to joining Houghton, Smith held the position of chief executive officer, EMEA for Arysta Lifescience, a $1.6 billion global specialty crop protection firm. Prior to Arysta, Smith held the executive position of Group Managing Director, Europe for Sun Chemical, the $3.8 billion producer of industrial printing inks and pigments for the global market. Most recently, he held a two-year advisory role supporting private equity investments in specialty chemical businesses in Western Europe and globally. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Leeds University and an M.B.A. from London Business School.