PPG taps new COO

PPG Industries, a leading coatings and specialty materials company, has elevated EVP Michael H. McGarry to chief operating officer, effective Aug. 1. He will remain based at PPG’s global headquarters in Pittsburgh and continue to report to chairman and CEO Charles E. Bunch.



McGarry will have executive oversight responsibility for all of PPG’s strategic business units and operating regions and for the information technology (IT), environment, health and safety (EH&S) and purchasing functions.



“Michael’s experience and leadership have been instrumental in driving PPG’s transformation into the world’s leading coatings and specialty materials company,” Bunch said. “In this new role, Michael’s proven operational expertise and demonstrated ability to implement our business strategies will play a key role in our continued focus to deliver increased shareholder value.”



During his 33 years with PPG, McGarry has served in a variety of key business and functional leadership roles in the United States, Europe and Asia. In addition, he helped lead several strategic actions that have transformed PPG’s business portfolio, most notably the acquisition of SigmaKalon; the separation of PPG’s former commodity chemicals business; the acquisition of AkzoNobel’s North American architectural coatings business; and, most recently, the announced agreement to acquire Consorcio Comex, S.A. de C.V.



McGarry joined PPG in 1981 as an engineer at the company’s Lake Charles, Louisiana, chemicals complex. He then progressed through a series of management assignments of increasing responsibility, including market development manager, silica products; operations manager, silicas, Thailand; business manager, TESLIN sheet; and product manager in the derivatives, chlorine, liquid and dry caustic soda businesses.



He was named GM, fine chemicals, in 2000, and VP, chlor-alkali and derivatives, in 2004. McGarry was elected VP, coatings, Europe, and managing director, PPG Europe, in 2006, and SVP, commodity chemicals, in 2008. He was named EVP in September 2012. In this role, his leadership responsibilities have included the automotive refinish, aerospace, global architectural, and protective and marine coatings businesses, as well as the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific regions, and the EH&S and IT functions.



McGarry also serves as a director on the boards of Axiall Corporation (AXLL) and Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC.