Hempel names Gosha Kolton head of its marine business

Gosha Kolton

Coatings specialist Hempel has appointed Gosha Kolton executive vice president and head of marine, effective January 1 2026. She will become part of Hempel’s executive group management.

A Polish national, she joins the company from Henkel Adhesive Technologies, where she served as EU vice president of packaging adhesives, coatings and sealants. In that position, she successfully steered one of the company’s largest regional businesses through volatile market conditions and transformations over the last five years.

Kolton succeeds Alexander Enström, who has chosen to step down from the executive vice president role, but stays with Hempel as head of new build in marine.

“I am delighted to welcome Gosha to Hempel,” said, Michael Hansen, group president & CEO at Hempel. “Her international perspective, leadership experience and passion for innovation will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our position in the marine coatings industry. Her commitment to building strong teams and customer-focused strategies will also help us deliver value for our stakeholders.”

Kolton comes to Hempel with extensive international experience in strategic and operational leadership across both developed and emerging markets. Hempel says that her experience in leading complex transformations and delivering customer value aligns perfectly with the company’s strategic priorities and its ambitions for the marine segment

“I am excited to join Hempel and the marine team, and I look forward to working together to deliver outstanding value for Hempel’s customers and drive sustainable growth,” said Kolton.