Acuity Appoints Ashe President, CEO and Board Member

Acuity Brands (Atlanta): Neil Ashe will be president, CEO and a member of the board effective Jan. 31. Ashe will take over the CEO position from Vernon Nagel, who will remain with the company in the newly created role of executive chairman. Ashe will also become the president of Acuity Brands, replacing Richard Reece, who will become executive VP of the company and president of Acuity Brands Lighting, the primary operating subsidiary of the company. Ashe’s appointment is part of a succession plan for certain senior leadership positions that began almost a year ago.

Nagel said in the press release that Ashe’s experience leading technology-oriented organizations is an “ideal fit” for Acuity Brands, as the company continues its journey to be an industrial technology leader. Ashe was previously president & CEO of Global eCommerce & Technology at Walmart, president of CBS Interactive and CEO of CNET Networks.

“It has been a privilege and an honor for me to lead the great associates of Acuity Brands for the last 15 years,” Nagel said in the press release. “We successfully navigated one of the greatest technology transformations faced by any industry with the advent of digital lighting, and over that time period more than doubled our sales, tripled our operating margins, and saw an eight-fold increase in shareholder value. Today our platform is strong, and we see exciting new opportunities in the years to come. With Neil’s leadership skills and background, Acuity Brands in uniquely positioned to exploit these opportunities.”