Empresas CMPC to Reshuffle Strategy and CEO by 2027
The leadership change coincides with a strategic pivot from Chilean assets to a massive new pulp mill project in Brazil.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Business Strategy
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Empresas CMPC CEO Francisco Ruiz-Tagle will step down on April 30, 2027, after leading the forestry and paper firm since 2018. The company is currently divesting significant Chilean assets while shifting its growth focus toward a new, large-scale pulp mill project in Brazil.
Why it matters
The leadership change arrives as Empresas CMPC attempts to reposition itself amid broader structural shifts in the global pulp industry. By exiting specific Chilean markets to fund expansion elsewhere, the firm is signaling a major pivot in its long-term operational and geographic focus.
Empresas CMPC is offloading $420 million in containerboard assets and $365.5 million in pine plantations, totaling $785.5 million in divestments. These moves support a new Brazilian pulp mill project with an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tons.
The players
Empresas CMPC
A global forestry and paper products company that manages manufacturing and land assets across South America.
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
The chief executive officer of Empresas CMPC who has been with the firm since 1991 and in the top leadership role since 2018.
Smurfit Westrock
A global packaging and paper provider that is acquiring Empresas CMPC's Chilean containerboard business.
J.P. Morgan Natural Capital
The investment division of J.P. Morgan focused on institutional capital management within the natural resources and forestry sectors.
The details
The firm is consolidating its footprint by selling 60,000 hectares of pine plantations and its local containerboard operations. These funds are slated to support the development of a 3 million metric ton capacity pulp mill in Brazil. Ruiz-Tagle will oversee this transition until his departure in 2027, while a committee of directors has begun the process of selecting his successor.
Timeline
1991: Francisco Ruiz-Tagle joined Empresas CMPC.
2018: Francisco Ruiz-Tagle became CEO of the company.
September 2026: Sale of the Chilean containerboard business concludes.
October 2026: Sale of 60,000 hectares of pine plantations concludes.
April 30, 2027: Francisco Ruiz-Tagle steps down as CEO.
Market Landscape
This move follows the broader trend of consolidation and regional rebalancing within the global pulp and paper industry. By exiting mature Chilean assets to fund Brazilian growth, Empresas CMPC is pivoting toward larger-scale production to compete in a shifting global market.
Operators should monitor the sale of major assets as a signal for how similar firms may reallocate capital toward higher-capacity, lower-cost production regions. Pay close attention to the specific integration of new facilities in Brazil, as these will likely define the regional cost curve for pulp over the next decade.
The takeaway
Large-scale divestments often precede a major pivot in production focus, requiring suppliers and partners to re-evaluate their regional contracts. Maintain awareness of how competitors are liquidating mature assets to fund infrastructure investments in new production regions.
Further reading
For broader context on corporate restructuring, visit our section on Business Strategy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Lesprom Network.
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