Michael Rubenstein, currently president of Alcan Packaging’s Global Pharmaceutical Packaging business, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief growth and innovation officer. In this new role, Mr. Rubenstein will lead a team dedicated to help deliver the company’s strategy to create sustainable value through innovation, customer partnerships and new growth platforms.   
   
Mr. Rubenstein has held several senior management positions in the packaging industry and has 30 years of experience, complemented with studies in Printing Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology and an immersion in World Class Partnerships at Duke University.
   
“Establishing this team under Michael Rubenstein’s direction demonstrates our passion for packaging and serving our customers with inspiring solutions,” said Ilene Gordon, president and chief executive officer of Alcan Packaging. “We are committed to excel and achieve our growth agenda. This newly assembled, high-caliber organization, consisting of talent primarily from across our business, will ensure we are even more closely linked with our customers.”
   
Also, Mike Schmitt, who continues as president, Food Packaging Americas, takes over as president of the $1 billion Global Pharmaceutical Packaging unit. The businesses are headquartered in Chicago and Kirkland, respectively and will continue to be run separately. “I look forward to the challenges of these expanded responsibilities and to working with the Global Pharmaceutical team to implement their strategy of growth and manufacturing excellence,” said Mr. Schmitt. “While Food Americas and Global Pharmaceutical are different businesses with their own characteristics, they share a common focus to satisfy customers and a passion to exceed expectations,” he added.
   
Mr. Schmitt  has 25 years of experience in the packaging industry. He joined the company in 2000 as head of the Food & Specialty Flexibles business unit after spending 17 years with Bemis Corp.