Chemical industry appointments

21 September 2009 00:00  [Source: ICB]

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING: STEVE HOLLAND
has been promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer, Brenntag Group, effective October 1, 2009. He will be responsible for directing Brenntag's day-to-day chemical distribution business worldwide. In addition, he will maintain his current role as CEO of Brenntag Europe. Holland was previously managing director of Albion Chemicals (UK), which Brenntag acquired in 2006.

MARIJIN DEKKERS
German chemical group Bayer has appointed Netherlands-born Marijn Dekkers, who is currently president and CEO of US laboratory equipment manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific, to succeed Werner Wenning as CEO from October 1, 2010. Dekkers will join the Bayer management board on January 1, 2010. Wenning is to extend his contract of service by eight months to September 30, 2010.

W. TROY RODER
has been promoted to the position of chairman and CEO of UK-headquartered engineering group Foster Wheeler Energy, effective from January 1, 2010. Roder is currently president and CEO of Foster Wheeler US, based in Houston, Texas. In assuming his new position at Foster Wheeler Energy, Roder replaces Michael Beaumont, 60, who has announced his intention to retire as chairman and CEO. Foster Wheeler Energy is based in Reading, England, and is global engineering group Foster Wheeler's largest subsidiary in its global engineering and construction Group.

JOSEPH ACKER
president and CEO at the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA), has announced his retirement, effective December 2009. The board of governors has accepted Acker's letter of retirement and expressed its appreciation for all the work he has done during more than 16 years of service and dedication at SOCMA to advance the batch chemical manufacturing industry.

PHILIPPE CHARTRES
has been appointed managing director of French chemical group Arkema's thiochemicals business unit, based in France, replacing Arnaud d'Aramon, who is retiring. A graduate from the Paris Ecole Superieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles, Chartres began his career in thermoplastics within the technical support department based at the CDF Chimie Mazingarbe plant. He joined Arkema in April 2004 as managing director of MLPC International.

COLIN ELLIOTT
currently vice president of the global engineering firm KBR's Asia Pacific operations, has been appointed to lead the company's new international Infrastructure and Minerals business unit, based in Brisbane, Australia. Infrastructure and Minerals will combine KBR's existing infrastructure activities in Australia, North America, the UK and the Middle East, as well the company's global minerals activities.

JEAN-PHILIPPE BRAULT
has been announced as environment manager, Europe, Middle East and Asia for global industrial and specialty chemicals group Univar, based in Antwerp, Belgium. Brault will be responsible for all environmental and remediation activities at Univar Europe. He will also support Univar in implementing corporate policies, procedures and practices and will provide training on the implementation of environmental management systems.

BOB TAYLOR
currently managing director of industrial finishes for Dutch chemical group AkzoNobel, is to become managing director of marine and protective coatings with effect from January 1, 2010, succeeding Bill McPherson, who is due to retire in April 2010. John Wolff, currently general manager of the coil coatings business, will become managing director of the wood finishes and adhesives business, while Conrad Keijzer, managing director of packaging coatings, will be managing director of the new industrial coatings business. The merger of polymer chemicals into functional chemicals is designed to create a stronger, more cost-efficient business better equipped to sustain future growth. Bob Margevich will continue in his role as managing director of Functional Chemicals.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Who's affecting the industry this week...

GORDON BROWN
UK prime minister, last week acknowledged that the government would need to make steep cuts in public spending to try and improve finances. He said there would be "tough choices on public spending," but insisted that services such as health, education and policing would be protected.
Industry positive

BEN BERNANKE
chairman of the US Federal Reserve declared the US recession was over. With the prospect of two quarters of economic growth being achieved, he said that, for the first time, forecasters agree "at this point we are in recovery." It would not produce many jobs, he added.
Industry negative

CARLOS GHOSN
CEO and president of car groups France's Renault and Japan's Nissan, has committed to the production of 100,000 electric cars by 2016. He said the vehicles would "bring environmental soundness at a price everyone can afford." Ghosn hopes the move will carve out a new market for the two companies.
Industry positive

By: Will Beacham
+44 20 8652 3214

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