Armor-IIMAK appoints André as CEO

Armor-IIMAK has appointed Christophe André as chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2026, succeeding Christian Lefort, who will retire at the end of November 2026 after five years leading the global thermal transfer ribbon manufacturer.

The transition has been prepared in coordination with the group's shareholders, with Lefort supporting André through a handover period until his retirement.

André brings extensive experience in international industrial leadership across the chemical and materials industries. An engineering graduate of Télécom Paris with additional degrees from ESSEC and INSEAD, he began his career at Nortel Networks before joining Rohm and Haas, where he served as managing director for EMEA of the Packaging and Converting division. After four years at Arjowiggins, he joined Arkema in 2012, holding several senior leadership roles over nearly ten years and becoming a member of the group executive committee. He joins Armor-IIMAK from Vynova Group, where he served as chairman and CEO for the past five years.

'I am very pleased to join Armor-IIMAK and excited to contribute to the next phase of its development,' said André. 'My ambition is to strengthen the company's leadership by leveraging innovation, entrepreneurial agility, and the exceptional expertise of our teams, all in service of our customers and partners. My priority will be to meet with our teams and engage with our markets to listen and understand what makes Armor-IIMAK strong and clearly identify our customers' expectations. I deeply believe in the power of teamwork. Together, we will write the next chapter in Armor-IIMAK's history.'

'These five years at the helm of Armor-IIMAK have been a tremendous industrial and personal journey,' said Lefort. 'I step down with great confidence in the company's future. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all employees for their dedication, energy, and trust. I am pleased to hand over the reins to Christophe André. His international background, his knowledge of the chemical industry, and his team-oriented approach will be invaluable assets in continuing this momentum.'

Armor-IIMAK operates across five continents with 30 locations and customers in more than 100 countries, including a recently established presence in Australia, its first in Oceania.