MEPCO appoints Gabriele Schallegger as group CFO

Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO) has appointed Gabriele Schallegger as group chief financial officer, effective immediately, as the Saudi paper and packaging company advances its expansion plans.

Announcing the appointment, MEPCO said, “MEPCO Group welcomes Gabriele Schallegger as Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 25 years of global leadership experience across industrial and publicly listed companies, including over a decade in paper and packaging and senior roles at international companies.”

Schallegger brings experience across finance, operations, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), financial transformation and capital markets. Her background spans paper and packaging, cleantech, healthcare, energy storage and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

She has held senior finance leadership positions at several international companies, including Mondi Group, MM Board & Paper, Semperit and CMBlu Energy. At Mondi, she served as divisional CFO for the Uncoated Fine Paper business and held managing director responsibilities, overseeing financial operations across multiple production sites and supporting business performance and investment decisions.

At MM Board & Paper, she served as managing director and divisional CFO, where her responsibilities included integrating strategic acquisitions and strengthening planning and performance management. During her tenure at CMBlu Energy, she led efforts to develop the finance and legal functions as the company transitioned towards commercial production of energy storage solutions.

Schallegger has also held finance leadership roles at wienerberger and Semperit, alongside supervisory board positions at companies including STRABAG and MSD Animal Health Austria.

She holds a Global Executive MBA from WU Vienna University of Economics and Business and the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, as well as a master’s degree in business management from the University of Graz.

Commenting on the appointment, MEPCO said Schallegger’s experience would strengthen the company’s financial, operational and strategic capabilities as it pursues its growth plans.

“Her appointment comes as MEPCO advances its expansion plans, adding financial, operational and strategic expertise to support continued growth and sustainable, long-term shareholder value,” the company said.

Most recently, the company had appointed Talal Faraj Arkook as its new CHRO, to focus on strengthening the Group’s people strategy, enhancing its performance culture and supporting MEPCO’s broader strategic objectives.