INDA names Ben Muller as executive director as it shifts leadership to support Global Nonwovens Alliance

# What happened INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has appointed Ben Muller as its executive director. The role was created after INDA and EDANA formed the Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), and INDA describes the hire as the next step in evolving its staff leadership to support the alliance.

# Who Ben Muller is

# Why INDA created the executive director role INDA and EDANA established the Global Nonwovens Alliance to provide a coordinated global forum for the nonwovens sector. INDA says creating an executive director position is intended to strengthen regional leadership and operational capacity to support the alliance while continuing INDA's work across the Americas.

# Leadership transition timeline Tony Fragnito, INDA's current president and CEO, will shift to an executive consultant role in January 2027 to support the leadership handover and to work on initiatives aimed at expanding GNA participation. Fragnito plans to retire in December 2027. INDA frames this as a staged transition to maintain continuity for members and the alliance.

# How INDA and GNA leaders positioned the hire INDA's board chair, Mark A. Thornton of Procter & Gamble, credited Fragnito with leadership during a transformational period and said the board is confident Muller brings strategic thinking, industry experience and collaborative leadership to guide INDA's next chapter. Murat Dogru, CEO of the GNA, said Muller's appointment advances the alliance's goal of combining a global perspective with strong regional leadership.

# What Muller will do INDA says Muller will lead the association's strategic initiatives, oversee daily operations, and represent nonwovens industry interests across the Americas. His stated focus will include member and industry engagement and expanding the value INDA provides to members within the GNA framework.

# What this means for members Members can expect continuity in operations during Fragnito's phased transition and a clearer regional leadership structure tied to GNA activities. With Muller's background in marketing and trade-show programming, INDA appears to prioritize member outreach, education programming, and promotional activities that connect regional priorities to the global alliance.

# Bottom line INDA has appointed an executive director with cross-sector marketing and nonprofit experience as it aligns its staffing to the Global Nonwovens Alliance. The organization plans a year-long executive transition to preserve institutional knowledge while shifting operational leadership to support alliance-driven collaboration and regional member engagement.