Akzo Nobel has appointed a new managing director for decorative and paints United Kingdom and Ireland. Matt Pullen, managing director of AkzoNobel Decorative Paints UK and Ireland and UK country director since January 2015, will leave the business at the end of May 2018, to be succeeded by current UK and Ireland sales director Alistair McAuley.

Mr Pullen joined the company in 2010 as marketing director for the UK and Ireland, adding the Northern Europe region to his portfolio in 2011. In 2016, he established the Dulux Academy training centre, in 2017 he managed the opening of the company's £100m paint factory in Ashington, while also overseeing the closure of the Slough Manufacturing factory where paint has been made for nearly 100 years.

Alistair McAuley has held senior roles in marketing, sales and the Dulux Decorator Centre (DDC), and co-authored the company's new three-year strategy with Mr Pullen, launched earlier this year.

Managing director of decorative paints, Europe and Africa, Jan-Piet van Kesteren said: "Matt made a vital contribution to AkzoNobel over a critical time. He steered the UK through an unprecedented period of change across the market, in the UK economy and within the business. AkzoNobel's UK market share continued to grow throughout this time against enormous pressures. 

"In Alistair McAuley, we have a worthy successor with significant industry experience in a very wide variety of roles across the business."