Hain Celestial: Appoints Chief Financial Officer

Lake Success / NY. (hc) The Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leading natural and organic products company with operations in North America, Europe and India providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life, announced the appointment of Pasquale Conte as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Stephen J. Smith, who has served as Hain Celestial’s Chief Financial Officer will remain with the Company through September 30, 2015 to ensure an orderly transition.

In October, 2014 Pat was named Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer, having joined Hain Celestial in July, 2009 after acting as a financial consultant to the Company previously. In these roles, Pat has overseen the Company’s worldwide financial planning and analysis and worked strategically on mergers and acquisitions, quarterly reporting, taxes and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance as well as productivity and other initiatives.

Pat is a Certified Public Accountant, who previously worked at Colgate-Palmolive Company, NYNEX Corporation and Arthur Anderson LLP. Prior to joining Hain Celestial, he worked at Motorola Inc. (formerly Symbol Technologies Inc.) in a series of financial roles of increasing responsibilities including Tax Director, Vice President and Controller and ultimately, Chief Financial Officer.

«Pat has been an integral part of our finance team for over five years, where he has been a key leader in working to drive our continued growth and success over the last several years», said Irwin D. Simon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hain Celestial. «Pat’s deep understanding of consumer goods, his forward thinking and tenure at the Company make him a natural candidate to help us to continue to growth both organically and through acquisitions on a global basis».