Crown Holdings Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., USA, announced that Gerard H. Gifford has been appointed EVP and COO, effective April 1, 2017. In this new role, Gifford will continue to report to Timothy J. Donahue, president and CEO, and will be responsible for the Americas and European Divisions. He will also assume responsibility for CMB Engineering, which is the company's can manufacturing equipment business, and corporate project management and engineering.

Currently, Gifford serves as president of Crown Europe. On April 1, 2017, Didier Sourisseau, who is currently SVP of Food Europe, will be promoted to president of Crown Europe.

Gifford has more than 35 years of experience with the company in increasingly responsible roles. Prior to his current position in Europe, he led Crown Beverage Packaging North America for four years. During his time in Europe, he led the division through a significant transformation, which included the acquisition and successful integration of Mivisa, the creation of a pan-European management structure, the right-sizing of the manufacturing footprint, and the divestiture of the industrial portion of the specialty packaging business. Gifford holds a B.S. degree in mechanical and industrial engineering from Clarkson University and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University's School of Business.

Commenting on Gifford's appointment, Donahue said that "Jerry's extensive operational and global experience and deep knowledge of the company and the industry make him ideally suited to assume this important role." 

Sourisseau has been with the company for more than 25 years and has been president of Food Europe since 2010. Prior to that, he was VP of Crown Specialty Packaging Europe. Sourisseau holds a degree in economics from the University of Bordeaux and an MBA in marketing and international management from the EDC, Paris.

Gifford noted that "Didier has successfully led our important European Food business through a period of strategic transformation, improving profitability despite significant currency headwinds and other challenges. I have full confidence in Didier's ability to lead Crown Europe."