Rajiv Sharma New Executive Director at Coats

Coats plc, the world’s leading industrial thread and consumer textile crafts business, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rajiv Sharma, Global CEO, Coats Industrial, as an Executive Director of the Coats plc Board effective 1 December 2014.

Rajiv joined Coats in November 2010 to head the Industrial Division which, under his leadership, has been at the forefront of product and service innovation for the global apparel and footwear industries, consistently delivering profitable sales growth.  The Division also houses the fast growing Speciality business, which produces high technology threads and yarns from performance materials for non-apparel and footwear uses such as tracer threads, automotive, aramids and fibre optics.

Mike Clasper, Chairman, Coats plc said: ‘Rajiv’s appointment reflects the significant progress that has been made in the Industrial Division over the last four years under his leadership, as well as his strong commercial and operational skills.  Rajiv’s experience will prove valuable to the Board and to Coats as we move towards once again becoming a listed company.’

Rajiv Sharma said: ‘I am very much looking forward to joining the Board as it continues to develop the strategy and actions to drive performance and profitable sales growth across Coats’ global business.’

Biography

Rajiv joined Coats in November 2010 to lead the Industrial Division and is responsible for its global operations.

Before joining Coats, Rajiv worked at Shell where he was Regional General Manager, Asia-Pacific for the multi-billion dollar aviation fuels and lubricants business.   After a successful turnaround he moved to Shell Upstream as General Manager Commercial, Asia-Pacific, gasification and clean coal energy.    

During his career Rajiv has also worked at Westinghouse, SAAB, Honeywell and GE, and his experience spans sales, marketing, M&A, business development and general management.  The majority of his roles have been focused on growing or turning around businesses and he has worked across the US, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.  He has been a board member of several joint ventures in Shell and GE across Asia-Pacific and was chairman of a Sinopec-Shell JV that had coal to liquid operations in China.

Rajiv has a degree in Mechanical Engineering (Robotics) from the National Institute of Engineering, Warangal, India and an MBA from University of Pittsburgh, USA.  He has lived in many different countries and covered all continents during his career, and is an active supporter of Cancer Care institutions in South Asia.

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