PPG recently announced the appointment of Joe Gette to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Gette, who currently serves as vice president, deputy general counsel and secretary, will also join the company’s operating and executive committees, reporting to PPG chairperson and CEO Tim Knavish. In this new role, he succeeds Anne M. Foulkes, current senior vice president and general counsel, who has announced her intent to retire. Foulkes is a 30-year veteran of the company and has served in her current position since 2018.
Foulkes joined PPG in Pittsburgh in 1995, initially supporting the chemicals group on commercial and contract legal matters. In 2005, she was promoted to corporate counsel, with responsibility for all commercial, antitrust, labor and employment, and intellectual property legal matters for the aerospace, architectural coatings, automotive refinish, and protective and marine coatings businesses, and in 2010, was promoted to assistant general counsel. Foulkes was appointed assistant general counsel and secretary of the company in 2011 and then in 2016 was elected as vice president, associate general counsel and secretary.
Effective January 1, 2026, Foulkes will transition to serving as senior vice president, legal and special projects, to ensure a smooth transition of general counsel responsibilities and will oversee certain projects for the company through August 31, 2026. She will continue to report to Knavish in this new executive leadership role.
“On behalf of the PPG leadership team, I want to congratulate Anne on an outstanding career and thank her for her dedication and many contributions to PPG,” said Knavish “Anne’s extensive background and experience counseling various PPG functions and business units over the years have been invaluable. Her leadership extends beyond legal counsel as a valued member of the company’s operating and executive committees. She also serves as a trusted confidant and mentor to many PPG employees as well as an executive sponsor and advocate of our employee resource groups.”
Gette joined PPG in 2005 as an assistant counsel and has held roles of increasing responsibility since that time, supporting several PPG business units, regional operations and serving as the lead transactional lawyer for the company. In 2018 he was appointed assistant general counsel, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and securities, and in 2022 was named vice president, deputy general counsel and secretary. In his current role, Gette has corporate secretary responsibilities while continuing to provide oversight and support for the company’s corporate development activities. He also has oversight responsibility for securities and commercial legal activities for PPG’s U.S. and Latin America, North and South regions.
“Joe has provided invaluable legal counsel to our businesses and for many of our acquisitions and divestitures throughout his two decades with PPG. His vast experience and proven leadership capabilities have helped PPG drive its transformation forward,” said Knavish. “Joe has a wealth of experience in many areas of law and has consistently provided valuable and practical counsel across the organization. In addition, as corporate secretary, Joe has been an important liaison and counsel for PPG’s Board of Directors. We congratulate Joe as he transitions into this important executive leadership role with the company and thank Anne for agreeing to remain a key part of the executive leadership team through the end of August 2026.”
Gette’s newest appointment begins January 1, 2026.