Walter Horace Cottingham (8 January 1866 – 12 March 1930) was a Canadian businessman renowned for his leadership in the global expansion of Sherwin-Williams Company.

As the second president and later chairman of the board, Cottingham spearheaded the company’s growth from 1909 to 1930, transforming it into a global powerhouse in the paint and coatings industry.

[1][2] Beyond Sherwin-Williams, Cottingham also owned and chaired Lewis Berger & Sons, a major player in the paint and coatings sector.

[3][4] Walter Horace Cottingham was born on 8 January 1866 in Omemee, Canada West to an English father and an Irish mother.

[1] In 1920, Sherwin-Williams went public, raising $15 million through the sale of preferred shares, which financed major acquisitions and expansions, including the Detroit-based Acme Quality Paint Company, as well as a new manufacturing campus in Oakland, California.

[1][4] He moved to his estate, Wooley Hall, in Maidenhead, England where he oversaw his business interests, including Lewis Berger & Sons.