SOMERSET, N.J.–Art Bylin, president and chief executive officer of Royal Doulton USA, is stepping down in the wake of parent company Waterford Wedgwood PLC’s restructuring efforts in North America.
Waterford Wedgwood has begun to integrate its Wedgwood and Royal Doulton businesses in the United States and Canada, the company said. “As a result of the consolidation, Art Bylin has chosen to step aside and will be leaving in mid-August,” said Moira Gavin, president and CEO of the Royal Doulton/Wedgwood Ceramics Group.
Lou Scala, president of Wedgwood and Rosenthal in the United States, will assume Bylin’s responsibilities. Jim Harding, managing director of Wedgwood’s U.K. outlets, Canada, Australia and Pan Asia, will assume Bylin’s Canadian responsibilities, Gavin said.
“Art has been a leader and a role model for the tabletop and giftware industries for many years, and has been instrumental in the restructuring of our Royal Doulton Canadian and U.S. companies and the repositioning, building and enhancing of our Royal Doulton and Royal Albert Brands,” said Gavin in a statement. “Art has been supportive of and a champion of the consolidation. We are positioned for continuous growth, and we sincerely appreciate and are grateful for Art’s significant contributions over the last five years—and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Bylin said it has been “a privilege and a pleasure” to represent Royal Doulton. “In large measure, as a result of the extraordinary motivation and teamwork of my colleagues in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., we have been quite successful in developing meaningful, relevant products, programs and strategies to enhance and grow our brands.”