Tex Gunning will join AkzoNobel as managing director of its Decorative Paints business, effective September 1, 2008. Former CEO and chairman of the board of Vedior and a former Unilever senior executive, Gunning will be nominated to join the AkzoNobel board of management as member responsible for Decorative Paints at the company’s next AGM in April 2009.

Tex Gunning will join AkzoNobel as managing director of its Decorative Paints business, effective September 1, 2008. Former CEO and chairman of the board of Vedior and a former Unilever senior executive, Gunning will be nominated to join the AkzoNobel board of management as member responsible for Decorative Paints at the company’s next AGM in April 2009. A Dutch citizen, he joined Vedior NV in 2007, successfully completing its negotiated sale to Randstad in May of this year. Prior to that, Gunning spent 25 years in the management of consumer-facing businesses with Unilever, 15 of them in the fast-growing Asian and Australasian markets. During that time, he guided Unilever’s Asian businesses to deliver consistent profitable growth and also oversaw the regional integration with Best Foods. Gunning will succeed David Hamill, who will leave the company by the end of the year having played a major role in the process of combining the ICI and AkzoNobel paints businesses.

For more information, visitwww.akzonobel.com.