Vetropack appoints Lukas Burkhardt as CEO, Verallia names Cristina Riesgo as CFO

SWITZERLAND – Swiss-based Vetropack Group has appointed Lukas Burkhardt as its new CEO, effective 1 January 2026.

He succeeds Johann Reiter, who is retiring after leading the company since 2018. Burkhardt joins Vetropack from Gerresheimer, where he has served on the management board since 2018 with responsibility for the primary packaging glass division.

Burkhardt brings extensive international operational and industrial experience to the role. Earlier in his career, he held positions at Audi in Germany and at Rieter Automotive Group, now Autoneum, with a strong focus on Asian operations.

In 2015, he joined Franke Group’s executive board as chief operating officer, overseeing production across more than 30 sites globally, alongside logistics, procurement and engineering functions.

Commenting on his appointment, Burkhardt said Vetropack combines strong heritage with long-term potential.

He highlighted the company’s family-owned structure, technical expertise in glass, one of the most sustainable packaging materials, and its international footprint as key strengths that can be leveraged despite current market pressures.

Vetropack board chairman Claude Cornaz described Burkhardt as the board’s first-choice candidate, citing his deep industry knowledge and ability to bring fresh perspectives.

Cornaz also paid tribute to outgoing CEO Johann Reiter, noting that during his tenure Vetropack advanced its internationalization, introduced thermally tempered lightweight glass bottles and defined its Strategy 2030+ roadmap.

Verallia appoints Cristina Riesgo as CFO

Meanwhile, France-based Verallia has appointed Cristina Riesgo as its new chief financial officer, effective 1 March 2026.

She will succeed Nathalie Delbreuve and report directly to Verallia Group CEO Patrice Lucas, joining the executive committee.

Riesgo brings more than 20 years of international finance experience across multiple sectors. She began her career at General Electric, where she progressed through senior finance leadership roles spanning controlling, financial planning and analysis, supply chain finance, and mergers and acquisitions.

In 2020, she joined Siemens Gamesa as CFO of its Onshore division, managing the financial operations of a US$6bn (€5.12bn) business and leading a global team of around 400 finance professionals.

Riesgo said her focus at Verallia will be on maintaining strong financial governance while supporting profitable and sustainable growth in an increasingly complex operating environment.

Lucas welcomed her appointment, saying her leadership would be instrumental in shaping the group’s next phase.

As a result of her start date, Verallia has postponed its Capital Market Day from January to the third quarter of 2026.

Verallia operates 35 glass plants across 12 countries, employs nearly 11,000 people, and reported revenues of €3.5bn in 2024, producing more than 16 billion glass bottles and jars.

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