Whitehead transitions to the role from Lincoln Electric Holdings, where he most recently led the Americas Welding business, a segment generating over $2.5 billion in annual revenue. His background blends technical and legal expertise; he holds an electrical engineering degree and is a qualified patent attorney. During his tenure at Lincoln Electric, he successfully scaled the global automation and additive solutions division, doubling its revenue to exceed $1 billion between 2019 and 2025.

"I am honored to have been selected as President and Chief Executive Officer of Matthews International and grateful for the Board's confidence," Whitehead said in a statement. He expressed a commitment to sharpening the company’s strategic focus and strengthening execution across its Industrial Technologies and Memorialization segments. Matthews, which maintains a workforce of over 4,300 employees across 15 countries, expects Whitehead to leverage his experience in global operations and mergers and acquisitions to drive long-term shareholder value.