Sources: Boral Ltd., Sydney; CP staff
After two-and-a-half years as president of Atlanta-based Boral USA, Mike Kane has been appointed Boral Ltd. chief executive officer and managing director, effective October 1. A veteran of Hanson Building Materials America, Holcim (US), Johns Manville and U.S. Gypsum, he succeeds Ross Batstone, who became interim CEO in May upon the departure of Mark Selway.
“Boral is an iconic building and construction materials company in Australia with an increasingly significant position in the global building materials industry. The company has undergone significant change over the past two years to realign the business to meet current challenging market conditions and changing demographics, particularly in Australia and the USA,” says Kane.
“My immediate priorities are to work with [the] management team to continue to strengthen [our] financial position by maximizing cash generation, further aligning Boral’s operational portfolio and delivering benefits from our LEAN manufacturing initiative. I believe Boral is very well positioned for the next upswing in activity. My medium-term focus is to ensure the company has the necessary strategies to maximize returns through the construction and building cycles.”
After a brief tenure with fly ash brick producer CalStar Products, Kane joined Boral USA in February 2010, effecting a realignment of brick, roofing and fly ash marketing businesses with an eye toward positioning the company to take full advantage the U.S. market recovery. “[His] proven track record in managing businesses through cycles and stewardship of U.S. operations during a period of extremely difficult market conditions while delivering substantial operational improvements is critically important to Boral going forward,” said Boral Chairman Dr. Bob Every upon announcing the appointment.
While managing the U.S. business, Every added, Kane has been a key member of Boral’s executive management committee—spending considerable time in Australian offices over the past two-and-a-half years—and takes the helm with solid knowledge of Boral’s broader operations and markets.
Succeeding Kane in Atlanta is Al Borm, currently president of Boral Roofing in the U.S. He joined the company in July 2010 with extensive experience in logistics, marketing, sales, business development and general management roles at Hanson Building Products America, Oldcastle APG and U.S. Gypsum.