Kennametal names Christopher Rossi CEO

Mr Rossi succeeds Ron De Feo whom the board has appointed executive chairman of the board. Both appointments are effective 1^st August 2017.

Lawrence W. Stranghoener, Kennametal chairman of the board of directors, said: “With more than 30 years of leadership experience, Chris has delivered sustainable results across a breadth of functions including operations, marketing and sales, R&D, product management, supply chain and technology innovation. We expect Chris will bring continuity to the transformation presently underway at the company while evolving a strategy and vision for the future that will continue to deliver results for our customers, team members and shareholders.

“We want to thank Ron De Feo for the dramatic progress he has made to reposition Kennametal over the past 18 months,” Mr Stranghoener continued. “Ron will work closely with Chris to ensure a smooth transition for all our stakeholders and we appreciate his continuing leadership.

Mr Rossi previously served as the CEO of Dresser-Rand at Siemens from September 2015 to May 2017. Prior to that, he held numerous leadership positions at Dresser-Rand Group, its affiliates and predecessor companies since he joined in 1987, including executive vice president of global operations, vice president of technology and business development and executive vice president of global aftermarket sales. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA in corporate finance and operations management from the University of Rochester´s Simon School of Business.

Mr Rossi commented: “I am excited to join a company with such well-respected brands and a legacy of continuous innovation and customer commitment. I look forward to working together with the Kennametal team across the globe to continue building a strong future for the company, our customers, its shareholders and our communities.”

Kennametal www.kennametal.com