Miles Roberts of DS Smith Named RISI's 2012 European CEO of the Year

BRUSSELS, January 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, has named Mr. Miles Roberts, Group Chief Executive of DS Smith, as the 2012 European CEO of the Year.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080521/NEW122LOGO)

Mr. Roberts was chosen as the RISI European CEO of the Year by a group of investment analysts and portfolio managers covering the European pulp and paper industry. The analysts responded to a survey organized by RISI and the criteria for nomination included leadership, vision and strategic accomplishment. Mr. Roberts was selected as the winner due to his significant achievements and overall leadership of DS Smith.

Specifically noted in his nomination by a number of analysts was the business strategy that will give a significant return to shareholders with one analyst commenting: "DS Smith is one of the few companies in the sector that has a good recent track record of generating value with returns greater than capital cost", whilst another commented on the company's "excellent integration of French producer Otor, as well as its exiting of non-core business areas, such as its recent sell off of Spicers, giving share holders a clear strategy for growth". 

With a turnover of 2.5 billion pounds Sterling and employing over 12,000 people, DS Smith is an international supplier of recycled packaging and Europe's leading office products wholesaler. Mr. Roberts was appointed Group Chief Executive of DS Smith in May 2010.  Before joining DS Smith, he served as Chief Executive of McBride, a leading supplier of private label household and personal care products for Europe's largest and most successful retailers headquartered in London, England. 

This is the first time Mr. Roberts or an executive from DS Smith has been named a RISI European CEO of the Year.

For Press Enquiries, please contact:
Jennifer Plourde
Associate Marketing Manager
O: +1.781.734.8917
E: jplourde@risi.com

Notes to Editors:

1)   About the European Pulp and Paper Outlook Conference

The 14th RISI European Pulp and Paper Outlook Conference will be held at the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel in Amsterdam on March 5-7, 2012. The conference will address some of the key issues facing the European pulp and paper industry.  Current program sponsors include HP, ColorLok Technology and StepChange Consulting. More information regarding the conference program and registration details can be found at http://www.risi.com/euroconf.

2)   About DS Smith

With a turnover of 2.5 billion pounds Sterling and employing over 12,000 people, DS Smith Plc is an international supplier of recycled packaging and Europe's leading office products wholesaler.

3)   About RISI (http://www.risi.com)

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, biomass, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, RISI operates additional offices throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

4)   About UBM plc (http://www.ubm.com)

UBM plc is a leading global company. We inform markets and bring the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. We focus on serving professional commercial communities, from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery traders, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. Our 6,000 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.