Management

DS Smith announces the appointment of James Lomax as New Managing Director for UK and Ireland Packaging

2025-12-08 1:26 min Management

DS Smith London, United Kingdom

DS Smith announces the appointment of James Lomax as the new Managing Director for UK and Ireland Packaging, taking over from Paul Clarke effective 1st December 2025.

Lomax has a proven track record of delivering business transformation and sustainable growth within the FMCG and packaging sectors. Formerly Director of Supply Chain and Operations within the EMEA Packaging Division for DS Smith, he brings two decades of experience with a proven track record of strategic and robust leadership across multiple roles including Sales, Marketing, Innovation and Operations within his eight-year tenure at the company.

A strategic and commercially focused leader, Lomax blends customer-centric strategies and operational excellence, and this powerful synergy will be instrumental in leading the UK and Ireland region into its next chapter of success.

''I am proud to re-join the UK and Ireland Sub-Region in the role of Managing Director, alongside an outstanding leadership team and a highly skilled and engaged workforce.'' - James Lomax, Managing Director for UK, and Ireland Packaging Division at DS Smith.

James Lomax comments: “Following the integration with International Paper, we have embarked on a transformational journey – simplifying our organisation and becoming a more efficient and agile operation to deliver superior customer experience.”

“I have been fortunate to see first-hand the best of DS Smith both within the UK and Ireland, across EMEA, and most recently within International Paper, and I am inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead. My immediate priorities are to ensure we maintain a safe environment during this transition, and to re-immerse myself into the operations of the UK and Ireland business, getting out to meet as many sites, teams, and customers as possible.”

He concludes: “We thank Paul for his significant contribution to DS Smith and wish him every success in the future. We have a strong foundation, and I look forward to building on that as we deliver our growth agenda and create long-term value for our business and stakeholders.”

DS Smith is focused on achieving an advantaged cost position, delivering a superior customer experience, and maintaining a tangibly high value supply position for its customers. In addition, the company is committed to delivering on strategic priorities and goals and accelerating on existing priorities within its UK and Ireland business offering.

www.dssmith.com

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DS Smith announces the appointment of James Lomax as New Managing Director for UK and Ireland Packaging

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