Leadership Changes at Presperse

Presperse Corporation has announced new leadership appointments to support parent company Sumitomo's global cosmetic business.  Effective April 1, Koh Akiyama, Presperse’s president and CEO, will return to Tokyo to lead Sumitomo’s global cosmetics group as deputy general manager in the medical science department.  Current EVP of commercial operations at Presperse, Paulo Rodrigues, will succeed Akiyama as the new president and CEO of Presperse.
                
Akiyama brings a wealth of global personal care knowledge and management experience to his new role within Sumitomo.  During his tenure as president and CEO, he reshaped the organization, expanded the business into many new regions and achieved strong revenue growth.   Prior to joining the Company in 2014, Akiyama served as chairman of the board of directors for Presperse and was also a board member of Sumitomo Corporation cosmetics group companies, Cosmotec and Summit Pharmaceuticals Europe (SPE). He brings more than 30 years of experience in the chemicals industry, including nearly 15 of those years based in New York.
 
Rodrigues joined Presperse in July 2015 as director of sales and under his leadership, he successfully implemented several projects that delivered both top and bottom line growth.  Most recently, Mr. Rodrigues has overseen all commercial operations for Presperse, including Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Sales.   Prior to joining Presperse, Rodrigues held senior leadership positions in personal care with Cognis, Givaudan, BASF, and DSM.   
 
“Paulo has demonstrated exceptional commercial leadership since joining Presperse and has positioned the business for sustained growth through innovation and operational excellence.  He has gained the respect of the employees, shareholders, and our business partners.  I am looking forward to continuing to work with Paulo to grow Sumitomo’s global cosmetics business,” Akiyama said.