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Elopak has appointed chief financial officer Bent K. Axelsen as interim CEO following the resignation of Thomas Körmendi, with the leadership change taking effect on May 8, 2026.

The company confirmed that the director of finance & tax Ola Buarøy will step into the role of interim CFO as the board begins the final stages of recruiting a permanent chief executive, a process expected to conclude by the second quarter of 2026.

Chair of the board, Dag Mejdell, said: “Bent K Axelsen joined Elopak as CFO in 2019 and brings deep knowledge of the business and a strong financial record as CFO in Elopak. The Board is confident that he will provide direction and stability during the transition towards a permanent CEO for Elopak.”

The company stressed that its strategic direction and priorities remain unchanged despite the leadership transition.

The board also paid tribute to outgoing CEO Thomas Körmendi for his contribution to the business, highlighting his role in strengthening Elopak’s global market position, accelerating sustainability initiatives and leading the company through its development as a publicly listed business following its 2021 listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Founded in Norway in 1957, Elopak is one of the food and beverage industry’s leading suppliers of carton packaging and filling equipment. Its Pure-Pak cartons are widely used across dairy, juice and liquid food categories as brands continue to seek alternatives to plastic packaging.

The company operates in more than 70 countries, employs over 3,000 people globally and has positioned sustainability at the centre of its long-term strategy, including science-based emissions reduction targets aligned with a 1.5°C pathway and a net-zero ambition by 2050.