Newell Rubbermaid appoints new HR officer

Newell Rubbermaid has appointed Paula S. Larson to the post of EVP and chief human resources officer, succeeding the soon-to-be-retired James M. Sweet, effective Dec. 16.

“The development of our people is at the foundation of our Growth Game Plan – and throughout her career, Paula has helped companies navigate change and empower employees to achieve sustainable growth,” said Michael Polk, Newell Rubbermaid’s president and CEO. “As we deploy our new operating model and build key capabilities to speed, Paula has the perfect combination of strategic and executional HR leadership to strengthen our talent base and support our global growth ambition.”

She will be leaving her most recent role as chief human resources officer for The Western Union Company, where she transformed the company's personal development approach and company culture. She has also served as chief human resources officer at Invensys plc, where she was noted for her role in helping to achieve top-5 performance among the London FTSE100 in 2009.

Larson has a track record of effecting changing on a company-wide level via her career as an HR business partner and strategic consultant. She has worked in 80 countries and maintains an emphasis on cultural and geographic diversity.