Albany International, a manufacturer of engineered components, has announced that its board of directors has appointed A William Higgins as president & CEO, to succeed Olivier Jarrault, who resigned by mutual agreement. Erkie Kailbourne, who currently serves as director, will return to his role as chairman of board of directors, succeeding Higgins. 

 

"We are grateful to Olivier for the important contribution he has made to our business. Under his leadership, Albany has delivered impressive financial results, significantly advanced its productivity and operational capabilities and attracted first-class talent. The board and I are confident that Higgins is the right person to build on this momentum. Higgins is an industry veteran, with a proven track record of strong leadership, and a deep knowledge of Albany's operations," Kailbourne said in a press release.

 

Higgins, 61, brings a wealth of industry experience to his new role. He has held a wide range of leadership positions at public companies, including as CEO and chairman of CIRCOR International between 2008 and 2012. Prior to joining CIRCOR, he held a variety of senior management positions with Honeywell International and AlliedSignal. Higgins has served on the board of Albany since 2016 and as chairman of the board from February 2019. Higgins will be closely supported by business segment leaders Daniel Halftermeyer, president - machine clothing - and Greg Harwell, group president - Albany Engineered Composites, as well as chief financial officer Stephen Nolan.

 

"I am excited to assume this role and will continue the progress we have made in driving operational excellence across the business under Olivier's tenure. We have an exceptional team at Albany, and I look forward to working closely with Daniel, Greg, Stephen and the other members of the senior management team as we execute our strategy to deliver great value to our customers and shareholders," Higgins said. 

 

"I am proud of what we have accomplished over the past two years with my Albany colleagues and to be leaving the company well positioned to deliver on its strategic and operational objectives and for future growth. The board and I have agreed that this is the right time for new leadership at Albany, and I have every confidence that Albany will continue to grow and thrive under Higgins and the senior management team," Jarrault said.