Gutierrez, 45, joined International Paper in 1994 and has held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, marketing, supply chain, and general management. He currently serves as regional managing director, EMEA Packaging. Gutierrez earned a Bachelors degree in finance from Tulane University in 1994 and an MBA from the University of Miami in 2001.

Gutierrez, his wife Melanie, and their sons will relocate from Madrid, Spain, to Memphis.

Gutierrez succeeds Jay Royalty, who has been named VP and GM, Foodservice. Royalty joined International Paper in 1991 and has served in a variety of converting, sales, marketing, general management, and finance roles. Royalty has served as VP, investor relations since 2013.

Royalty and Gutierrez will begin a transition that will conclude with the public announcement of the company’s second-quarter financial results in late July 2017.