Rhodia names new senior team to revamp its fortunes

04 November 2003 14:00  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--Rhodia announced Tuesday the appointment of a new management team to revive its flagging fortunes under chief executive Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, who took over the reins at the French specialty chemicals group only a month ago.

Last week, Rhodia unveiled further details of cost cutting and reorganisation plans while reporting dismal third quarter results. A warning of the weak performance was given in early October along with news of the resignation of Clamadieu's predecessor, Jean-Pierre Tirouflet.

Clamadieu

Clamadieu heads a six-strong permanent executive, consisting of: Gilles Auffret, who continues as chief operating officer; Yves Boisdron, promoted from heading the group's Asian activities to vice president for strategy; Yves Brissy, who continues as a group vice president and general counsel; Bernard Chambon, who holds the same position as before in heading up human resources, communication and sustainable development as vice president; and Pierre Prot, who continues as vice president and chief financial officer.

The permanent team is supported by a senior group of 25 executives in three clusters.

As part of the new arrangements, Rhodia has appointed a number of people from within its restructured 17 enterprises to lead, as president, the remaining nine units.

Only two posts are held by executives from outside Rhodia's previous enterprise activities: the Pharma Solutions unit is led by Nick Green, who joined Rhodia earlier this year from Swiss firm Clariant where he was a pharmaceuticals business manager; Alberto Pedrosa takes on responsibility for the polyamide enterprise, having most recently led purchasing support services, which was not classified as a Rhodia enterprise.

The other seven enterprises are led by the following executives:

* Perfumery, Performance & Agro - Luc Auffret

* Home, Personal Care & Industrial Ingredients (HPCII) - Mike DeRuosi

* AceTow - Michel Audoin

* Phosphorous, Phosphates & Food - Dick Kennedy

* Silicones, Silica & rare Earth Systems - Olivier de Clermont Tonnerre, who also takes on responsibility for Rhodia's group marketing and international affairs

* Performance Products for Multifunctional Coatings (PPMC) - Norbert Bluthe

* Eco Services North America - Jim Harton

The group's support functions are arranged in six areas - purchasing (Patrick Koller), industrial (Raphael Franchi), research & development (R&D - Paul-Joel Derian), information systems (Xavier Rambaud), communications (Jean-Christophe Huertas), and sustainable development (Jacques Kheliff).

Global markets are covered as four territories: Walter Cirillo is president of Latin American activities; Philippe Cohet heads Rhodia's Europe region; Myron Galuskin is president for the North America region; and, the group's operations in Asia Pacific are under the watch of Michel Ybert.

By: Patrick Reynolds
+44 208 652 3214

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly