Kennametal Inc. announced that Patrick S. Watson, currently Vice President Finance and Corporate Controller, will assume the role of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective from June 9, 2022. Watson succeeds Damon Audia, who has served as CFO since September 2018 and is leaving the Company after a short transition period to pursue another opportunity. As CFO, Watson will serve as a member of the Company's Executive Leadership Team, reporting to President and CEO Christopher Rossi.

He will play a critical role in advancing the Company's strategy and will be responsible for leading the Company's finance, investor relations, information technology and sourcing functions. Watson brings more than 25 years of global finance and business experience to the CFO role. He is currently Vice President and Corporate Controller and will continue in that role until that position is filled.  Watson's tenure at Kennametal also includes serving as finance lead for both business segments and the EMEA region as well as M&A and supply chain roles.

Prior to Kennametal, he held financial and supply chain roles at Allegheny Energy Inc. and Eckerd Corporation. Watson holds a Master of Business Administration from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor's degree in business economics from the University of Pittsburgh.