James Hardie Industries' CFO Rachel Wilson To Step Down; Ryan Lada Named As Chief Financial Officer, Effective Immediately
James Hardie Industries plc (NYSE/ASX: JHX) ("James Hardie" or the "Company"), a leading provider of exterior home and outdoor living solutions, today announced the appointment of Ryan Lada as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Lada succeeds Rachel Wilson, who has decided to step down after two years in her role. To facilitate a smooth transition, Ms. Wilson will remain with the Company in an advisory role until March 31, 2026.
An experienced CFO and capital markets executive, Mr. Lada was most recently CFO at Watts Water Technologies, and immediately prior, CFO of The AZEK Company ("AZEK"). Mr. Lada joined AZEK as Vice President of Corporate Finance in July 2022 where he oversaw financial planning and analysis, accounting, commercial and operational finance capabilities, and investor relations. He brings nearly two decades of global finance experience and leadership to the role, with diverse expertise in public market finance, and supply chain and logistics, invaluable attributes for James Hardie and its shareholders.
On Mr. Lada's appointment, Aaron Erter, CEO of James Hardie said, "Ryan brings deep industry knowledge, financial expertise and a proven track record of delivering impressive results, and we could not be more pleased to welcome him to the James Hardie team. We are confident Ryan has the ideal skillset to help us deliver on our strategy to drive growth, capitalize on our strong forward momentum, and enhance shareholder value."
"I am excited to join James Hardie at this pivotal time and look forward to partnering with Aaron and the rest of the management team to drive outperformance over the long-term and accelerate value creation for shareholders," said Mr. Lada. "We are at the beginning of a transformative journey, and I look forward to engaging with our investment community as we deliver on the promises we have made as a global sector leader in both Australia and the United States."
Commenting on Ms. Wilson's departure, Mr. Erter continued, "Rachel has worked tirelessly for James Hardie, and I have valued her partnership over the last two years. We are grateful she will be supporting Ryan through the transition. On behalf of the Board and management team, we wish her all the best in her future endeavors."
Ms. Wilson's departure is not a result of any disagreement with the Company or Board regarding any matter related to the Company's accounting principles or practices, financial disclosures, or internal controls.