Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., a leading global branded consumer products and home essentials company focused on driving innovation and providing exceptional customer service, has announced the appointment of Anne S. Ward to its Board of Directors.
“We are very pleased to welcome Anne as our new independent director. She joins our team during an exciting time as a home essentials company. We look forward to drawing on Anne’s extensive knowledge in personal care and home essential products across a broad range of consumer brands. Anne’s background and experiences complement and enhance the skillset of our Board and provide additional resources to our management team. Her addition to our Board also reflect the dialogue we had with our shareholders and our commitment to having a highly skilled Board with a significant variety of expertise and experiences and diversity across race, gender, and ethnicity,” said David Maura, Chairman and Chief Executive Offer of Spectrum Brands.
In addition, as part of the Company’s shareholder engagement program and its commitment to improved corporate governance, the Board also adopted a Board Diversity Policy. A copy of this policy can be found on the Company’s website at www.spectrumbrands.com under “Investor Relations-Corporate Governance Documents”.
Ms. Anne Ward, age 48, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of CURiO Brands, a privately-held consumer goods company that manufactures and sells a portfolio of personal care and home fragrance brands. She joined the company in April 2012 as the CEO of Thymes and subsequently led a merger with DPM Fragrance to form CURiO.
Prior to CURiO, Ms. Ward founded The FORWARD Group, a consulting firm focused on developing growth strategies for mid-sized companies and key executives, and served as its CEO from July 2010 until April 2012. From October 2007 until July 2010, Ms. Ward was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Johnson Publishing Company where she led the Ebony, Jet and Fashion Fair Cosmetics business units.
Prior to her role at Johnson Publishing Company, Ms. Ward served as an Assistant Vice President of marketing for The Coca-Cola Company from September 2006 until September 2007 leading growth strategies for Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dasani and other key brands. Ms. Ward also held several positions of increasing responsibility within manufacturing and brand management at Procter & Gamble between May 1994 and August 2006. She led well-established, global brands including Pampers and Clairol as well as consumer growth strategies for the Beauty division.
Ms. Ward currently serves as a Board Member of Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: VNDA). She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
