Smurfit Kappa has confirmed the appointment of Dr María de Lourdes Melgar Palacios (Lourdes Melgar) to the Board as an independent, non-executive director with effect from 1 January 2020.
Lourdes, a Mexican citizen, is recognised for her expertise in the areas of energy and public policy. In her 26-year career she has held a number of roles at the top levels of government, in academia and in the private sector.
For 16 years, Lourdes served in the Mexican Government, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the Ministry of Energy. In 2005, she was appointed minister at the Mexican mission to the OECD in Paris. From December 2012 to February 2014, she served as Vice-Minister for Electricity prior to her appointment as Vice-Minister of Hydrocarbons, a position she held until July 2016.
Lourdes also has extensive experience in private sector projects, including sustainability programme design and implementation, and wider policy initiatives in the energy sector. She played an instrumental role in the design and implementation of Mexico’s recent energy reform. She also previously served as a Director on the Boards of Petroleos Mexicanos and the Federal Electricity Commission.
Irial Finan, Smurfit Kappa Group Chair, commented, “We look forward to broadening the expertise and diversity of the Board with the appointment of Lourdes as an independent non-executive director. Lourdes’ extensive career in energy, sustainability and business in Latin America will add valuable insight to the Board.”
