Univar, a leading global chemical distributor, announced today that J. Erik (Erik) Fyrwald will join Univar as president and chief executive officer effective May 7.

Fyrwald, age 52, is currently president of Ecolab a global provider of water, hygiene and energy technologies that merged with Nalco in December 2011. Fyrwald will also become a member of Univar's board of directors.

As a result of the addition of Fyrwald to the executive team, Univar's current President and CEO John J. Zillmer will assume the position of executive chairman of Univar and its board of directors, succeeding William S. Stavropoulos, who will move to the role of lead director.

Univar's current chairman of the board William S. Stavropoulos will remain on the board as lead director.

Univar continues to be primarily owned by private equity firms CVC Capital Partners and Clayton Dubilier & Rice with its remaining equity held by Univar management and other existing investors.