Autodesk Appoints New Directors

Autodesk has appointed two new independent directors to its board of directors. John Cahill, former chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, and Ram Krishnan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Emerson, will join the Autodesk board as independent directors effective immediately.

Their appointments follow a comprehensive search process led by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and aided by a leading independent search firm. In addition, Lorrie Norrington has informed the board of her intention not to stand for re-election at Autodesk's 2025 annual general meeting.

"We are thrilled to welcome John and Ram to the Autodesk Board, both of whom have proven track records of leading large and complex organizations," said Stacy J. Smith, chairman of the Autodesk Board of Directors. "Their appointment enhances the breadth and depth of experience and expertise on the board and reflects our unwavering commitment to continue providing effective oversight of Autodesk's strategy, which is generating significant shareholder value."

"John brings a track record of strong leadership, financial acumen, operational expertise, and value creation," Smith continues. "As chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, he oversaw the merger of Kraft and Heinz to create one of the world's largest food and beverage companies. John also served in leadership and financial roles at Pepsi Bottling Group, including as chair and CEO, where he was instrumental in its separation from PepsiCo and the execution of its IPO."

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.