Cepi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries, appointed Francesca Stevens as Director General with effect from 28 September 2026. She succeeds Jori Ringman, who had led the association since 2019.
Stevens joins Cepi from EUROPEN, the European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment, where she served as Secretary General from 2020. There, she represented a value chain spanning raw-material producers, packaging manufacturers and users, and worked on European policy concerning sustainability, circularity, competitiveness and the Single Market.
Her career includes 25 years in European industry organisations and senior leadership roles at Arconic and Alcoa. She holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Turin and a master’s degree in European Studies from the College of Europe in Warsaw.
Stevens will lead Cepi’s Brussels secretariat of 24 people and work with its national association members to represent the pulp and paper industry before EU institutions and other stakeholders. Her appointment comes as the industry addresses decarbonisation, competitively priced energy, global industrial competitiveness and changing EU regulation.
“It is a great honour to be entrusted with leading Cepi. Europe’s pulp and paper industry has everything it takes to lead the circular bioeconomy: renewable resources rooted in our communities, world-class industrial capabilities and a strong culture of innovation. I look forward to working with our team, members, Board, committees, CEO Forum and partners to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness and place it at the heart of Europe’s industrial future,” said Francesca Stevens.
Henrik Sjölund, Cepi Chairman and Holmen CEO, said: “Francesca combines a strong command of European policymaking with a deep understanding of industrial value chains. The Cepi Board is confident that she will provide a strong, united voice for our industry in Europe. Her qualities make her exceptionally well placed to lead Cepi and represent our industry at this decisive moment.”
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