KAO SHUFFLES EXECUTIVE
By Adnews Staff
Kao Corporation of Tokyo, Japan made executive changes at the top of its North American operations this week. Three of its U.S.-based subsidiaries now have new chiefs: Kao Corporation of America in Wilmington, Delaware, Goldwell Cosmetics (U.S.A.) of Linthicum Heights, Maryland and the Andrew Jergens Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Kenneth Wattman has stepped down from the post as KAO president and director in the U.S. He was also president of Goldwell Cosmetics and a special advisor to Kao's president in Tokyo. Before joining Kao, he was senior vice-president and director of ICI Americas. Toshio Hoshino, who has been with Kao since 1969, is moving from his post as Andrew Jergens president and CEO to replace Wattman as top man in the U.S. Klaus Meyer, a Goldwell GmbH board director in Germany, will take the post of president of Goldwell in the U.S. Andrew Jergens executive vice-president William Gentner has taken over as president and CEO of Andrew Jergens. He joined the company in 1995 from Unilever Corp. where he was marketing vice-president for Van Den Bergh Foods. Andrew Jergens markets a line of personal care products including lotions, soaps, bath additives and liquid body cleansing products. Goldwell makes professional hair care products sold in hair salons.