Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a global leader in personal care and consumer products, announced a significant leadership change in its 8-K report filed on May 1, 2025. Russ Torres has been appointed as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective immediately. This pivotal move places Mr. Torres at the helm of day-to-day operations across Kimberly-Clark’s diverse business segments, including global growth, innovation, digital and technology, and supply chain functions. This leadership upgrade reflects the company’s strategic focus on enhancing operational execution to drive sustainable growth and profitability.
Russ Torres brings over 25 years of executive leadership in the consumer goods sector. Prior to this role, he served as President of Kimberly-Clark North America since October 2024, overseeing the personal care, family care, and professional business segments in the region. His prior leadership roles also include Group President, K-C North America, and President of K-C Professional. Before joining Kimberly-Clark, Torres held senior positions at Newell Brands, Bain & Company, and Mondelēz International.
The company publicly recognizes Torres as a “purpose-driven leader who has driven commercial transformation and outstanding results in the businesses he has led.” Under his stewardship, Kimberly-Clark’s North America segment achieved a mid-single-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR), a testament to his effective management and growth strategies. Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark, emphasized the importance of Torres’ appointment in advancing the company’s “Powering Care” strategy, which focuses on leveraging global expertise and proprietary technologies to accelerate enterprise transformation and sharpen operational execution.
Financial data from the latest fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, reveals Kimberly-Clark faced a slight revenue contraction of approximately 1.83% year-over-year, reflecting external pressures such as retail inventory adjustments and demand fluctuations in Asia and Latin America. Despite this, the company demonstrated strong operational efficiency, with an operating margin of 15.94% in FY 2024. These figures underscore the company’s resilience amidst macroeconomic headwinds and its focus on margin expansion through innovation-led growth and enhanced commercial execution.
The “Powering Care” strategy has been instrumental in driving these financial outcomes. The company reported approximately \(130 million in gross productivity gains in the supply chain just during the third quarter of 2024, contributing to a long-term goal of \)3 billion in productivity savings. This transformation initiative is also expected to elevate the company’s gross margin to at least 40% and operating profit margin to a range of 18% to 20% by the end of the decade, highlighting a well-defined trajectory for sustainable financial improvement.
The Q3 2024 earnings call corresponding to this strategic direction revealed that Kimberly-Clark is navigating near-term challenges including retail inventory reductions, diminishing demand in private-label businesses, and some softness in North American professional channels. However, management maintained confidence in investment levels, including \(1 billion to \)1.2 billion in capital expenditures primarily aimed at supply chain transformation and innovation.
Russ Torres’ role as COO is poised to be critical in actualizing these strategic and financial targets. His extensive background in commercial transformation and operational excellence complements Kimberly-Clark’s commitment to becoming a better, faster, and stronger organization. The company is currently conducting a search for a permanent successor to Mr. Torres’ former position as President, North America, with Kurt Laufer serving as the interim president.
Kimberly-Clark, through its trusted brands like Huggies, Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Kotex, serves consumers in over 175 countries. The company prides itself on sustainable practices and has been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® for seven consecutive years and one of Fortune’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024.
For investors and industry watchers asking who is shaping Kimberly-Clark’s future, what strategic moves are underway, when these changes took effect, and where the company is heading, this 8-K reflects a decisive step in operational leadership. The appointment of Russ Torres anchors Kimberly-Clark’s ambition to strengthen its market position and achieve profitable growth amid a complex global environment.
Source Document: Kimberly-Clark 8-K Filing May 1, 2025
KimberlyClarkLeadership, PoweringCareStrategy, ConsumerGoodsInnovation, SupplyChainTransformation, CorporateGrowth2025