Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE:AVY) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sam O’Keefe as vice president of research and development (R&D) for its Label and Graphic Materials group in Europe (LGM-EU), effective immediately.

She will be based at Oegstgeest, reporting to Pascale Wautelet, vice president of global R&D. She will become part of the European leadership team of LGM and have a dotted reporting line to Jeroen Diderich, vice president and general manager of LGM-EU.

“In this role,” said Pascale Wautelet, “Sam will provide vision and direction to the R&D organization in the EMEA region and lead new-product development, material re-engineering and adhesive development for Avery Dennison’s LGM business across Europe.”

This appointment reinforces Avery Dennison’s continued focus on innovation and sustainability, which includes ongoing investments and external partnerships with suppliers, universities, other business partners and new ventures.

Sam brings more than 25 years of industrial experience and materials science with major international companies. She joins Avery Dennison from Sensient Technologies, where she worked as technical director – Industrial Colors.

Prior to Sensient, she held technical and leadership roles with several companies, including Unilever, InterfaceFlor, Ashland and Saint-Gobain.

Sam earned her Ph.D. in physical science (rheology of polymer-modified cements) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry in Bristol, England.