Huhtamaki appoints Axel Glade as President, Flexible Packaging

Axel Glade, (55), has been appointed President, Flexible Packaging and member of the Global Executive Team at Huhtamaki. He will join the company no later than January 1, 2026. He will report to President and CEO Charles Héaulmé and will be based in Espoo, Finland.

Axel joins Huhtamaki from Constantia Flexibles, a Flexible Packaging company headquartered in Vienna, Austria, where he has served as Executive Vice President of the Film Division and member of Executive Committee. Since joining Constantia in 2011, he has held several leadership roles such as SVP Consumer and CEO at Constantia Pirk. Before Constantia, Axel held various leadership roles in other packaging companies including Sealed Air and Bischof + Klein.

“I am very pleased to welcome Axel to Huhtamaki and the Global Executive Team. His impressive background in the Flexible Packaging industry and his experience in leading multinational businesses will be key in leading our Flexible Packaging segment and delivering on our 2030 ambitions,” says Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Huhtamaki​.

“I am excited to join the Huhtamaki team and a company that is known as a leading sustainable packaging solutions provider globally. I look forward to working with the global Flexibles team to grow the business both profitably and sustainably,” says Axel Glade, newly appointed President, Flexible Packaging.

As announced earlier,Hans-Peter Edelbluth (63), currently Vice President MEA, Flexibles Packaging, will lead the Flexibles Packaging segment as Interim President, effective February 1, 2025, until Axel joins the team.

Following the change, the members of the Global Executive Team are:

• Charles Héaulmé (Chair), President and CEO;
• Thomas Geust, Chief Financial Officer;
• Fredrik Davidsson, President, Fiber Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania;
• Axel Glade, President, Flexible Packaging (from January 1, 2026, at the latest);
• Marco Hilty, President, Flexible Packaging (until January 31, 2025);
• Ann O’Hara, President, North America;
• Salla Ahonen, Executive Vice President, Sustainability and Communications;
• Sami Pauni, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Legal, Group General Counsel;
• Johan Rabe, Executive Vice President, Digital and Process Performance;
• Ingolf Thom, Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Safety and
• Wilhelm Wolff, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development (from January 13, 2025).

About Huhtamaki

Huhtamaki has over 100 years of history and a strong Nordic heritage. Our around 18 000 professionals are operating in 37 countries and 103 locations around the world. Our values are Care Dare Deliver. In 2023 Huhtamaki’s net sales totaled EUR 4.2 billion. Huhtamäki Oyj is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.