Leadership & People 2007

• Shell Plans to Outsource 3,600 Jobs
  Royal Dutch Shell is to shed thousands of jobs as Europe's largest oil company joins rival BP in trying to cut costs and simplify its structure. By Russell Hotten.
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• Evonik Plans Expansion of R&D in India
  The Germany-based Evonik Industries AG, the third largest German chemical and specialty chemical manufacturer, is planning to expand its research and development centre in Mumbai.
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• Resin Systems CFO Resigns
  Resin Systems, a developer of innovative advanced material products, has announced that its chief financial officer and corporate secretary, Rob Schaefer, has resigned to lead the business development of a Canadian power generation company.
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• Tex Holdings plc Announces Board Change
  Tex Holdings plc announced that Mark Harrison will be retiring from the Company on December 31, 2007, as C.E.O.
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• Dow Corning Announces Changes to Board of Directors
  Dow Corning Corporation announced the retirement of Gary R. Veurink from the company’s board of directors. In a related move, Charles J. Kalil, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of The Dow Chemical Company, has been elected to the board.
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• Chemtura names Dr. Robert Wedinger Chief Business Officer
  Chemtura Corporation has appointed Robert S. Wedinger, PhD as chief business officer, reporting directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Wood.
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• A. Schulman Names Joseph M. Gingo Chief Executive Officer
  A. Schulman Inc., a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds and resins, today announced the appointment of Joseph M. Gingo, 62, as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2008.
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• Hardide Announces New Non-Exec Chairman
  Hardide plc, the surface engineering technology business, has appointed Robert Goddard to the company board as non-executive chairman with effect from 28 January 2008.
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• Kline Strengthens European Presence with New Office
  Worldwide consulting and research firm Kline & Company today announced the opening of a new European headquarters office in Oxford, UK.
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• Evonik´s Chemicals Gets New Organisational Structure
  Evonik´s Chemicals Business Area is to get a new organisational structure. This was decided by the Supervisory Board of Evonik Degussa GmbH. The twelve Chemical Business Units will be consolidated into six units.
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• International Paper Elects J. Steven Whisler to its Board of Directors
  International Paper announced the election of J. Steven Whisler to its board of directors, effective today.
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• Paul Schmidt Joins EMD Crop BioScience as President
  Paul Schmidt has joined EMD Crop BioScience as President, succeeding Tom Winkofske, who will retire at the end of the year.
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• Personnel Change on the Merck Supervisory Board
  Merck KGaA announced that Heiner Wilhelm (53) has become a member of the Supervisory Board representing the employees.
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• Alcoa Dedicates New Production Facility
  Alcoa Warrick Operations dedicated a new Lithographic Cleaning Line, celebrating the creation of 50 new jobs at the plant, an additional $47 Million to the local tax base, and a diversification of products creating a bright future for the facility.
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• AMRI Names New Chemistry Director at Its European Site
  AMRI has named Dr. Philip William Small as director of chemistry at its Hungarian site. In his new position, Dr. Small will assume responsibilities for all of AMRI's European chemistry related activities including custom synthesis, medicinal chemistry, analytical services, library design and production.
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• New Director for Calgon Carbon Corporation
  Calgon Carbon Corporation is pleased to announce the election of Randall S. Dearth (44) to its board of directors.
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• Lab21 appoints new CEO
  Lab21 has announced the appointment of Graham Mullis as its new CEO. Graham has held executive positions at FTSE and Nasdaq listed medical device companies including 1-800 Contacts Inc and Biocompatibles International PLC and pharmaceutical roles at Hoechst Roussel Ltd and R P Scherer Ltd.
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• Bayer Annouces Job Cuts
  The German chemicals and pharmaceutical group Bayer said Tuesday that it could cut up to 1,500 jobs at its plastics unit, equal to about 10 percent of the division's total workforce.
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• Harri Kerminen appointed new CEO of Kemira Group
  Kemira Group's Board of Directors has appointed Harri Kerminen, M.Sc. (Eng.), MBA, 56, as the new CEO of Kemira Group as of January 1, 2008. Mr Kerminen is currently President of Kemira Pulp&Paper, Kemira's largest business area.
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• Harri Kerminen appointed new Chief Executive of Kemira Group
  Kemira Group’s Board of Directors has appointed Harri Kerminen, M.Sc. (Eng.), MBA, 56, as the new CEO of Kemira Group as of January 1, 2008. Mr Kerminen is currently President of Kemira Pulp&Paper, Kemira’s largest business area.
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• Kaj Jansson New Head of Kemiras Oulu Research Center
  M.Sc. (Eng.) Kaj Jansson, age 45, has been appointed as Vice President of Kemira’s Oulu Research Center as from November 1, 2007. The former head of the center, Timo Kenakkala, has been appointed as Deputy Mayor of the city of Oulu.
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• Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP Names New Board Members
  Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Chevron Phillips Chemical) today announced the election of two new members to its board of directors.
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• Rio Tinto and Alcan Name Proposed Aluminium Business Executive Management Team
  Rio Tinto and Alcan have named the executive management team drawn from leaders of both companies that will form the functional and operating structure of Rio Tinto Alcan and will be instrumental in the integration.
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• Catalyst Researcher Wins Nobel prize
  The 2007 Nobel Prize for chemistry has been awarded to German scientist Gerhard Ertl for work that has led to cleaner car exhausts and may yet explain the depletion of the ozone layer. The Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the $1.54 million prize to Ertl on his 71st birthday, noting that his work had laid the foundations for an entire field of research, as well as many new industrial processes.
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• Merck Announces Changes in Chemicals Leadership
  Merck announced that it has realigned the leadership of its Chemicals divisions. The current Head of Liquid Crystals, Dr. Paul Breddels (51), has decided to leave the company for personal reasons. As of November 1, 2007, Walter Galinat, currently Head of the Performance & Life Science Chemicals division (PLS), will assume leadership of the Liquid Crystals (LC) division. Klaus Bischoff, currently Country Manager of the Merck Group in Taiwan, will become the new Head of the PLS division.
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• Pekka Paasikivi Elected Chairman of the Board of Directors
  The extraordinary general meeting of Kemira Oyj was held on October 4, 2007 beginning at 1 p.m., in Helsinki.
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• Martin Kuzaj joins Borealis Executive Board
  Borealis announces the appointment of Martin Kuzaj as Executive Vice President for Base Chemicals and member of the Executive Board effective November 1, 2007. He will report to CEO John Taylor and will be located in Linz, Austria.
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• Dyadic Announces Termination of Employment of its President and CEO, Mark A. Emalfarb
  Dyadic International, Inc. (AMEX: DIL) announced that on September 20, 2007, a special committee (the "Special Committee") of the board of directors (the "Board") of Dyadic International, Inc. (the "Company"), acting upon the recommendation of the audit committee (the "Audit Committee") of the Board, authorized the termination for cause by the Company of the employment of Mark A. Emalfarb as the Company's Chief Executive Officer and President under his employment agreement dated as of April 1, 2001, as amended by the first amendment to employment agreement dated as of March 16, 2006.
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• Borouge Production Company, Abu Dhabi Polymers Ltd (Borouge) Appoints New CEO
  Borouge today announced the appointment of Mr Abdul Aziz Abdulla Al Hajri as Chief Executive Officer Designate of Abu Dhabi Polymers Co Ltd, the Borouge Production Company. Borouge is a joint venture established in 1998 between Borealis, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
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• Olaf Grothey Leaves the Sartorius Executive Board
  The Supervisory Board of Sartorius AG and Olaf Grothey, member of the Executive Board and Executive for Labor Relations, mutually agreed that Olaf Grothey resign from his position on the Executive Board of Sartorius AG.
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• LANXESS Plans to Buy Back EUR 50 Million in Shares
  The Management Board of LANXESS AG today decided to repurchase shares of the company up to the value of EUR 50 million in the third quarter of 2007.
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• Huntsman Announces Resignation of Two Directors
  Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) has announced the resignation of David J. Matlin and Christopher R. Pechock from Huntsman Corporation’s board of directors, effective August 8, 2007. Both Matlin and Pechock are principals of MatlinPatterson Global Advisers LLC, certain affiliates of which recently completed the sale of approximately 57 million shares of Huntsman Corporation common stock pursuant to an underwriting agreement announced by the company on August 2, 2007.
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• Praxair Announces Senior Management Changes
  Praxair, Inc. announced the following senior management changes: Eduardo Menezes, currently managing director of Praxair Mexico, has been appointed president of Praxair Europe, based in Madrid. He will be responsible for all European operations, including Spain, Germany, Italy, Benelux, France and Portugal. Menezes replaces Randy Kramer who will return to the U.S. as senior vice president, global sales. Murilo Melo, currently vice president of Praxair's business operations in Hispanic countries in South America, will replace Menezes as managing director of Praxair Mexico. George Ristevski, currently president of Praxair Healthcare Services, Inc., has been appointed president of Praxair Distribution Inc., the company's packaged gases business in the U.S. and Canada. Ristevski will succeed Wayne Yakich, who is resigning to accept a senior executive position with another company. Scott Kaltrider, currently vice president, western region, for Praxair's North American Industrial Gases group, will succeed Ristevski as president, Praxair Healthcare Services. All appointments are effective September 1, 2007.
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• David Rolph to Leave Borealis
  David Rolph will be leaving Borealis at the end of July after heading the Polyolefins Business Group for approaching six years.
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• Dow Unveils Dow Wolff Cellulosics, a $1 Billion Specialty Business
  Underscoring its transformational growth strategy, The Dow Chemical Company today unveiled the creation of a new specialty business unit operating under the name of Dow Wolff Cellulosics.
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• The recipe for creativity
  After winning this year's Creativity in Industry award from the RSC, Patrick Mulqueen reveals his approach to turning fresh ideas into commercial reality.
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• Arne Vraalsen Decides to Leave Polimoon
  Arne Vraalsen has decided to leave his position as CEO and President of Polimoon. The decision was made some time ago and is based on a wish to dedicate more time in Denmark. According to Polimoon, wWith the arrival of a new ownership the moment is good to open up the organisation for a change in management.
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• Chemtura names Dr. Chetland VP, Global High Performance Industries
  Chemtura Corporation has appointed Dr. Janet Chetland VP, Global High Performance Industries. She reports directly to Polymer Additives Group President Anne Noonan.
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• Rohm and Haas Vice President Chosen to Receive Distinguished Leadership Award
  Philip G. Lewis, MD, Rohm and Haas Vice President; Director, Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainable Development was honored by The American Chemistry Council (ACC) with a Distinguished Leadership Award.
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• BASF Number 1 in Construction Chemicals
  BASF today announced ambitious goals for its Construction Chemicals division. “The market for construction chemicals has a volume of €29 billion and is growing at 4 to 5 percent per year.
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• Chemtura Appoints Rick Beitel Vice President of Global Sales
  Chemtura Corporation has named Rick Beitel Vice President of Global Sales, Performance Specialties. In this position, Beitel is responsible for sales growth for those businesses comprising the Performance Specialties division, including: Transportation & Industrial Lubricants & Greases, Urethane Products, Optical Monomers, Organicometallic Catalysts & Compounds, and Fluorines.
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• Celanese Announces Changes to Board of Directors
  Celanese Corporation announced that Farah M. Walters has been elected to the Celanese board of directors. Walters is currently president and chief executive officer of QualHealth LLC, a company specializing in the design of health care delivery systems to improve quality and cost-effectiveness.
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• Careers: Solvent star
  Adam Walker co-founded bespoke solvent company Bioniqs and is now its CEO. He made the transition from postdoc to CEO in just three years, as he tells Yfke Hager.
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• NOVA Chemicals expects lay off to save millions
  NOVA Chemicals Corporation defined the impact of actions the company is taking to further improve its business performance. Approximately 90 NOVA Chemicals positions in the U.S. and Europe will be eliminated during 2007 as part of ongoing fixed-cost reductions.
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• Stormy relationship is highlighted at Dow
  In March, when Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical chief executive, wrote a strongly-worded letter to Romeo Kreinberg, one of his lieutenants, urging him to change his ways or else, he could not have foreseen that the document might come back to haunt him. By Francesco Guerrera
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• Albemarle Opens Regional Office in Dubai
  Specialty chemicals maker Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) has opened a new regional sales office in Dubai to leverage Albemarle's global leadership in the development, manufacturing and marketing of catalysts, polymer additives and fine chemicals to meet growing market needs in India and the Middle East.
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• BP Appoints Tony Hayward as Chief Executive as Lord Browne Steps Down
  Following a decision by Lord Browne to step down as the company's chief executive officer, the board of BP p.l.c. has appointed his designated successor, Dr Tony Hayward, as new CEO with immediate effect.
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• Lord Browne of BP quits over lie to court about private life
  A sad end to a special career - BP's Browne quits over lie to court about private life. Cover-up over how he met partner leads to dramatic exit and costs him £15m.
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• Dow Joins United States Climate Action Partnership
  The Dow Chemical Company announced that the company has joined the United States Climate Action Partnership.
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• The Dow Chemical Company Announces Executive Terminations
  The Dow Chemical Company announced that Pedro Reinhard, a senior advisor and member of the Board of Directors, and Romeo Kreinberg, an officer of the Company, engaged in business activity that was highly inappropriate and a clear violation of Dow's Code of Business Conduct.
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• Albemarle Announces Finance Leadership Team Changes
  Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global leader in the specialty chemicals market, announced today that its Board of Directors has approved several strategic organizational changes involving members of Albemarle's financial leadership team to reinforce the Company's efforts to expand existing businesses and target and develop potential new market opportunities worldwide.
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• Dow fires two top executives
  Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) fired two longtime executives - including the company's former chief financial officer - after receiving a tip that the two were involved in "unauthorized discussions" about a sale of the company.
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• Chemtura Names Stephen Forsyth CFO
  Chemtura Corporation (NYSE: CEM) has appointed Stephen C. Forsyth as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 30.
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• Dow Unveils New Senior Leadership Structure
  In an announcement to employees, Andrew Liveris, Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, unveiled a new corporate and business leadership structure, focused on accelerating the implementation of Dow's transformational growth strategy.
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• BASF Agricultural Products Discuss Technology Transfer
  France's biggest international agricultural fair (Salon International de l'Agriculture) will be the backdrop on March 06, 2007 in Paris for the "Tech for Food" event – a high calibre forum for innovative contributions to enhance agricultural development, food supply and health in less developed countries.
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• Corning Announces New Member of Management Committee
  Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) announced today that Lawrence D. McRae, senior vice president, strategy and corporate development, has become a member of Corning’s Management Committee. McRae reports to James B. Flaws, vice chairman and chief financial officer, and Peter F. Volanakis, chief operating officer.
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• BASF Plans Transformation into a European Company (SE)
  The Board of Executive Directors and Supervisory Board of BASF Aktiengesellschaft have resolved to propose to the Annual Meeting on April 26, 2007 the transformation of BASF Aktiengesellschaft into a European Company (Societas Europaea, SE) with the name BASF SE.
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• Tate & Lyle appoints new head of global R&D
  Tate & Lyle's appointment of a new head of global research and development underlines the company's focus on the value-added end of the ingredients market. The UK-based ingredients company has appointed Robert Fisher, a PhD in food science, following the retirement of Bob Schanefelt. Fisher has most recently served as executive director and chief operating officer for the International Life Science Institute, North America.
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• Woertz Elected Chairman of ADM Board
  The Board of Directors of Archer Daniels Midland Company has announced that Chief Executive Officer and President Patricia A. Woertz has been elected Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors. Ms. Woertz, who was named CEO and President in April 2006, succeeds G. Allen Andreas who resigned from the Board. Independent Director Patrick Moore continues in the role of Lead Director.
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• Page Named as CEO of Cargill
  Page was named to his current position as Cargill president and chief operating officer in June 2000. He was elected to the Cargill Board of Directors in August 2000.
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• BASF Plans to Increase Cash Returned to Shareholders
  The Board of Executive Directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft yesterday decided to propose to the Annual Meeting on April 26, 2007 to increase the dividend for 2006 by €1.00 to €3.00 per share.
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• DuPont Joins Global Climate Change Coalition
  DuPont issued the following statement as a member of the Global Roundtable on Climate Change (GROCC), in support of its principles announced today in New York. The statement is attributed to DuPont Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Linda Fisher.
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• New Organizational Structure to Strengthen Bayer MaterialScience Business
  Bayer MaterialScience is to redefine its organizational structure effective March 1, 2007. The Board of Management of Bayer AG has decided to consolidate strategic and operational management of the subgroup in an Executive Committee comprising the four members of the current Board and the Business Unit Heads. "This move will sharpen the business focus of the management body and, at the same time, create a leaner hierarchy with shorter decision-making channels," explained Werner Wenning, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. He went on to say that the primary goal is to further strengthen and expand the subgroup's leadership position in the performance materials market.
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• NOVA Chemicals Announces Board of Directors Changes
  NOVA Chemicals Corporation announced that J.E. (Ted) Newall, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NOVA Chemicals, will step down as planned at the end of his current term at the annual shareholder meeting on April 12, 2007.
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• As Chemical Prices Drop, Dow Aims to Cut Cyclicality
  Dow Chemical Co.'s chief executive said Thursday that the company will keep striving to reduce the cyclical nature of its business, perhaps by acquiring new product lines and selling others, even as the company faces a period of lower earnings.
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• Borealis names Taylors successor as CEO
  Borealis has appointed 44-year-old Australian Mark Garrett as CEO designate to succeed John Taylor as chairman and CEO on his retirement at the end of the year.
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• European Business Restructure of Shimadzu Completed
  Shimadzu is completing its European business restructuring process step by step and focusing on establishing independent companies in major markets and countries all over Europe. This structure forms part of the "Strategy of the Future" formulated in 2004 in order to better support new trends and markets.
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• Patrick Thomas: New CEO of Bayer MaterialScience AG
  Patrick Thomas (49) was appointed Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer MaterialScience AG on January 1, 2007. Thomas succeeds Dr. Hagen Noerenberg, who ended his active employment with the Bayer Group as planned at the end of 2006.
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