PPG appoints John Smith VP of architectural coatings EMEA

PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) announced the appointment of John Smith as vice president of architectural coatings for Europe, Middle East and Africa, effective July 1, 2026. Smith will replace Steve Pocock, who plans to retire June 30, 2026.

Smith brings over 25 years of international leadership experience to the role. He most recently served as executive vice president and general manager at Signify, where he led the global connected lighting business. Previously, he held senior leadership positions at Philips across consumer health, grooming and home care divisions.

Smith will report to Henrik Bergström, senior vice president of global architectural coatings at PPG.

Pocock joined Sigma Kalon in 2000 as a national accounts controller. The company was later acquired by PPG. He advanced through various commercial roles before becoming general manager of architectural coatings for UK and Ireland in 2010. Pocock was promoted to general manager for architectural coatings EMEA north and China, then named vice president of architectural coatings in 2019. He assumed his current role leading the region's architectural coatings commercial organization in 2024.

PPG, headquartered in Pittsburgh, operates in more than 50 countries and reported net sales of $15.9 billion in 2025. The company manufactures paints, coatings and specialty products for construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets.

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