Executive Vice President, Group Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director, Smurfit WestRock
Search every verified Ken Bowles interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Ken Bowles, Executive Vice President, Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at Smurfit WestRock, has discussed the company's merger with WestRock and its subsequent listing on the New York Stock Exchange. In interviews, he described the combination as creating the world's largest sustainable fiber-based packaging company, with operations across 40 countries, and stated that the U.S. listing provides investors with exposure to the global economy. He also noted that North America had been "unfinished business" for the company, referencing its exit from that market in 1998, and said the merger addressed a long-standing strategic goal. Bowles has also reflected on his 31-year career at the company, including his role in defending against a takeover approach from International Paper in 2018. He said the experience brought him and CEO Tony Smurfit closer together, describing it as a "genuinely scary moment" that required them to focus on the company's survival. He has emphasized the importance of trust in the CEO-CFO relationship and described his management style as avoiding micromanagement while maintaining detailed knowledge of operations. On sustainability, he has said the company has been sustainable since 1934 and expressed a preference for recycling over reuse in regulatory discussions.
From growing up in Ballyfermot to ringing the bell on Wall St, Ken Bowles has climbed the ladder in Smurfit Westrock to become Tony Smurfit's right-hand man. In this intriguing conversation, Bowles reveals what it takes to operate at the highest level and how he fought for the survival of the company.
Smurfit Westrock CEO Tony Smurfit and CFO Ken Bowles joined Judy Shaw on #NYSEFloorTalk on the company’s first day of trading on the NYSE to discuss their recent merger with Westrock and the pivotal role of innovation and technology in driving growth.
“It’ll be culture, it’s got to be about how do we blend the good bits of Smurfit Kappa with the good bits of WestRock” Ken Bowles, CFO of Smurfit Kappa Group, shares his insights on the recent announcement of the merger with WestRock creating the world’s largest packaging company with combined revenue of circa $34bn, EBITDA of $5.5bn and circa 100,000 employees across 42 countries. Among other things, he shares his thoughts on the importance of culture within an organisation, Smurfit Kappa’s purpose to create, protect & care for people and the environment, his longstanding passion for susta…
Interview with Ken Bowles and Sarah Freeman. Smurfit Kappa, Company Of The Month in Business & Finance, February 2023. Ken Bowles of Smurfit Kappa discusses the company's 90 years of sustainability, its Irish soul and adhering to the core values of “Create, Protect & Care” in order to ensure a successful future.
Feb.05 -- Ken Bowles, chief financial officer at Smurfit Kappa Group Plc, discusses the company’s growth prospects, virus impact and deleveraging. He speaks on “Bloomberg Markets: European Open.”
Feb.13 -- Ken Bowles, chief financial officer at Smurfit Kappa, discusses full-year earnings, his contingency plans for Brexit, investments in the U.K., rejecting a bid, his business strategy and the impact of trade talks on his business. He speaks on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe.”
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