Siegwerk announces changes in its group executive committee

Siegwerk has made changes within its management team. After more than 36 years at Siegwerk, Ralf Hildenbrand, president Americas and member of the Group Executive Committee, has decided to retire effective July 1, 2025. He will be succeeded by Christopher van Laack, currently vice president business unit paper and board EMEA and liquid food packaging at Siegwerk. 

In addition to his responsibility for the Americas region, Hildenbrand has led the global business unit cluster flexible packaging and the functions global technology, including product safety and responsibility (PSR) and Siegwerk’s Circular Economy Hub, as well as global brand owner collaboration. During his impactful career at Siegwerk, Hildenbrand has held key management positions and responsibility for many major strategic initiatives. 

The trained industrial engineer joined Siegwerk in 1989 as a managerial assistant in flexible packaging sales and quickly advanced in the company. Since 2002, Hildenbrand has been a member of the board of management of the Siegwerk Group and later of the Group Executive Committee. In the 2000s, he was integral in the development of the corporate development strategy for Siegwerk’s transformation into a global leader for packaging inks and coatings. From 2002 to 2009, he was involved in the company’s international expansion with key acquisitions such as Color Converting Inc. (CCI) and the packaging ink business from SICPA. Since 2005, Hildenbrand has been leading Siegwerk’s global flexible packaging business. In this role, he developed and implemented Siegwerk's flexible packaging differentiation strategy enabling the company to sustainably stand out from the competition. 

From 2009 to 2019, Hildenbrand was president Asia at Siegwerk. He successfully developed and implemented an ambitious growth strategy for the Asian region and its sub-regions. During this time, he also held a number of global responsibilities: He established Siegwerk’s global technology function, a cross-regional team of technology experts to roll out global standards and manage global research and development projects. In addition, he took over the responsibility for product safety and responsibility at Siegwerk. By developing and implementing a global PSR strategy, he further defined Siegwerk’s reputation as a worldwide leader in safe ink solutions. In 2018, he led the development and the roll-out of Siegwerk’s brand owner collaboration strategy, reinforcing Siegwerk’s role as a strategic partner with multinational brands. Hildenbrand also played a leading role in the development and evolution of Siegwerk’s circular economy strategy and was responsible for Siegwerk’s Circular Economy Hub, which was established in 2019. In the same year, he was appointed president Americas and has significantly developed and advanced Siegwerk’s business in the Americas in the recent years. 

Dr. Nicolas Wiedmann, chief executive officer (CEO) at Siegwerk, expressed his gratitude: ‘Ralf Hildenbrand has made a decisive contribution to Siegwerk’s success over more than three decades. With his leadership and strategic vision, he strengthened and advanced our company in all regions and globally across many functions and departments. He fulfilled his roles with real passion and dedication, always living our motto ‘Ink, Heart and Soul.’ We sincerely thank him for his exceptional performance, in-depth expertise and outstanding commitment.’  

Succeeding Hildenbrand in Siegwerk’s Group Executive Committee is Christopher van Laack, currently vice president business unit paper and board EMEA and liquid food packaging at Siegwerk. Van Laack will assume responsibility for the Americas region, along with global technology, product safety and responsibility (PSR), Siegwerk’s Circular Economy Hub, and global brand owner collaboration. The global business unit cluster flexible packaging will be managed by Dirk Weissenfeldt, chief financial officer (CFO) at Siegwerk and former vice president flexible packaging EMEA in the company. 

Van Laack brings a broad range of professional expertise and experience from nearly 17 years at Siegwerk. He joined the company in 2008 as a trainee in logistics management and has made an impressive career, taking on several key leadership roles. During his nearly eight years in the field of transport and logistics, van Laack was promoted to the head of this department in 2013. Three years later, he took on the role of site manager and post merger integration manager of the Buedingen (Germany) site of the newly acquired Actega Colorchemie business and successfully lead the turnaround. In 2018, van Laack was appointed regional sales director of flexible packaging EMEA, holding responsibility for many international key accounts of Siegwerk and coordinating sales activities - also in the Americas region. In his current role as vice president business unit paper and board EMEA and liquid food packaging, which he assumed in 2021, he developed and implemented the strategic direction for both business units. Furthermore, van Laack initiated Siegwerk’s activity in the field of functional coatings and thus laid the foundation for the company’s stand-alone business unit for circular economy coatings, which was established in 2024. 

‘We are very pleased that Christopher van Laack will join our Group Executive Committee and will take over the role as President Americas,’ said Dr. Nicolas Wiedmann, CEO at Siegwerk. “’n his previous roles, van Laack demonstrated strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to Siegwerk’s values. His expertise in business development and operational excellence makes him the perfect successor to drive further growth and innovation in the Americas region and help shape Siegwerk’s future.’ 

The change in Siegwerk’s Group Executive Committee will officially take effect on July 1, 2025.