Nihal Kaviratne CBE to takeover as Chairman of Akzo Nobel India

July 22, 2010

Kolkata, July 22, 2010: Akzo Nobel India Limited (formerly ICI India Limited), the maker of Dulux paints, at the conclusion of its Board meeting today announced the following changes in its Board:

After a long association of 37 years with the Company (having first joined the Board in 1996), Mr Aditya Narayan has decided to retire as Chairman of Akzo Nobel India Limited with effect from 1 October 2010. He was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Company in April 2003. At its Board meeting held on 22 July 2010, the Directors of Akzo Nobel India Limited unanimously elected Mr. Nihal Kaviratne CBE, who had joined the Board in 2009, to be the next Chairman of its Board from 1 October 2010. The Board of Akzo Nobel India Limited would like to express its appreciation to Mr Aditya Narayan for his highly valued contribution over 7 years as Chairman and are delighted to welcome Mr. Nihal Kaviratne CBE as the new Chairman of the Company.

Brief profile of Mr Kaviratne:
Born in 1944, Mr Kaviratne holds an Honours degree in Economics from Mumbai University. His global career with Unilever spanned 40 years. He joined them in India as a Management Trainee in 1966, and held a series of increasingly senior roles including Head of Marketing Research and Economics, and General Manager of Export Division. In 1984 he moved as Managing Director of the Detergents Division in Indonesia, and later became Regional Leader for Latin America and South Asia at Corporate Headquarters in London, Managing Director in Argentina, and Chairman in Indonesia. He was appointed Senior Vice President - Development and Environmental Affairs, Unilever Asia, based in Singapore, and Chairman of Unilever's Home and Oral Care businesses in Asia.

He was awarded the CBE for services to UK business interests and for sustainable development in Indonesia.

Mr Kaviratne is a Founding Member of the Executive of APABIS (Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society), Founder of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres and Vice Chairman of the Indian Cancer Society.

Apart from Akzo Nobel India Limited, Mr Kaviratne is a Director in several reputed companies.

About AkzoNobel
AkzoNobel is the largest global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are a Global Fortune 500 company and are consistently ranked as one of the leaders on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 55,000 people around the world are committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow’s Answers Today™. 

About Akzo Nobel India Ltd.(formerly ICI India Ltd)
Present in India for 100 years and a significant player in the Paints industry, the Company has primarily operated under the ‘Dulux’ brand name. Over the years, it witnessed sustained expansion, growth and transformation. In 2008, Akzo Nobel N.V. became owner of the entire equity share capital of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., by virtue of which the Company became a member of the AkzoNobel Group. Akzo Nobel India manufactures and markets paints and specialty chemicals. With employee strength of about 900, Akzo Nobel India has manufacturing sites, offices and distribution network spread across the country. Its commitment to Health, Safety, Environment & Security (HSE&S) has been amongst the best in class globally, with due care being taken to protect the people and the environment.

For more information please visit our website www.akzonobel.co.in

For further information, please contact:

For investor enquiries:
R Guha
Company Secretary
Akzo Nobel India Limited
10th Floor, DLF Plaza Tower
DLF Phase I, Gurgaon –122002
Tel: +91 (0) 124 2540400
Email: investor.india@akzonobel.com  

For media enquiries:
Aanchal Chachra/ Maitreyee Goswami
Genesis B-M
Mobile: 98730 83212/ 98738 18405
Email: aanchal.chachra@bm.com / maitreyee.goswami@bm.com