Frits Beurskens has served as a Director of the Group since December 2005. He joined the Kappa Group in 1990 and held various Managing Director positions until his appointment as its President in 1996 which he held until the merger with Smurfit. He is a former Chairman of both the Confederation of European Paper Industries and the International Corrugated Cases Association and a former member of the Board of Sappi Limited. In December 2007 he was knighted and appointed by the Dutch Queen as Officer in the Order of Oranje Nassau.