Kimberly-Clark appoints John Carmichael as North America president
This leadership change comes at a pivotal moment as Kimberly-Clark continues to strengthen its market position and drive strategic growth in North America.
USA – Kimberly-Clark has appointed John Carmichael as President, North America, with his tenure set to begin on September 15, 2025.
Carmichael succeeds interim President Kurt Laufer, who will revert to his previous role as President of U.S. Consumer Sales.
In this new leadership role, Carmichael will oversee Kimberly-Clark’s personal care, family care, and professional businesses across the United States and Canada.
He will report directly to Russ Torres, President and Chief Operating Officer of Kimberly-Clark.
Kimberly-Clark’s President and COO, Russ Torres, praised Carmichael as a proven leader with relevant experience across various categories, channels, and geographies.
Torres stated, “John is a proven leader with impressive and relevant experience across categories, channels and geographies.”
“He brings a strong track record of accelerating growth, transforming businesses and cultivating high-performance cultures.”
John Carmichael brings more than 30 years of experience from Nestlé, where he most recently served as President and CEO of Nestlé Canada.
Under his leadership, Nestlé Canada achieved consistent growth and cultivated a purpose-driven culture emphasizing innovation and community impact.
Earlier in his career, Carmichael held several senior leadership positions at Nestlé USA, including President of both the Foods and Beverage divisions and Vice President of Sales and Customer Development.
He is credited with leading major brand repositioning efforts, business turnarounds, strategic acquisitions, and scaling emerging business platforms.
The appointment of Carmichael comes after the company recently announced the promotion of Russ Torres to the role of President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.
In his expanded role, Torres will oversee the company’s day-to-day operations across all business segments, as well as lead the Global Supply Chain, Research & Development, Global Growth, and Digital Technology Solutions teams.
Kimberly-Clark is known for its portfolio of leading brands such as Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, and many others, which hold number one or two market share positions in approximately 70 countries worldwide.
The company focuses on “Better Care for a Better World,” emphasizing sustainable practices and community engagement in its business operations.
This leadership change comes at a pivotal moment as Kimberly-Clark continues to strengthen its market position and drive strategic growth in North America, guided by Carmichael’s extensive experience and vision for the future of the company’s consumer care businesses.
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