PEOPLE
Villemagne takes top role
Switzerland-based CDMO and API manufacturer Carbogen Amics has promoted Pascal Villemagne from VP of sales and marketing to be its new CEO , following Mark Griffiths ’ decision to retire after 11 years at the helm . Prior to joining the firm , Villemagne had other commercial leadership roles at Farmhispania , Inabata , Cambrex and Sanofi-Aventis .
Lubrizol transition
Lubrizol has announced that Mary Rhinehart , currently board chair , will also serve as president and CEO on an interim basis in place of Chris Brown . She will now lead the search for a permanent CEO . Rhinehart also serves as board chair of building and speciality products firm Johns Manville , which is also owned by Berkshire Hathaway .
Condon heads JM
Formerly president of Bayer ’ s Crop Science division , Liam Condon has become the new CEO at Johnson Matthey , with a remit from the board to conduct a complete review of the strategy , reporting back by the end of May . Outgoing CEO Robert MacLeod will stay on to support the transition process and then retire after the AGM on 21 July .
All change at Safic-Alcan
French based distributor Safic-Alcan has appointed Yann Lissilllour as its new CEO and president , heading a five-man executive committee . Martial Lecat and Philippe Combette , who have both been with the firm since 1988 , have left their functions within the executive committee but will remain on the supervisory board .
New CEO at Hovione
On 1 April , Dr Jean-Luc Herbeaux ( right ) became only the third CEO in Hovione ’ s history and the first from outside the founding Villax family . Guy Villax ( left ) will now serve as a board member and shareholder after 25 years at the helm . Herbeaux joined the firm as COO in May 2020 , after heading the Health Care business line at Evonik .
Otto Roelen Medal for Robert Franke
Dechema and the German Catalysis Society have awarded the 2022 Otto Roelen Medal to Professor Robert Franke for his work on developing catalytic carbonylation , particularly hydroformylation , from theory to industrial implementation . The award will be made at the society ’ s AGM in Weimar on 18 June .
Haldimann moves up
Clariant has appointed current head of sustainability transformation Richard Haldimann to the newly created position of chief technology and sustainability officer , reporting directly to CEO Conrad Keijzer . Haldimann has been with the firm for 12 years , leading the work on reducing greenhouse gas emissions , and creating roadmaps for sustainability-driven portfolio change and climateneutral , sustainable operations .
Lanxess rings the changes
Martin Saewe has become the new head of the Lanxess ’ s initiative for e-mobility and circular economy , following the departure of Philipp Junge . Neelanjan Banerjee will replace Saewe as head of the Lubricants Additives business unit and will in turn be replaced as managing director of Lanxess India by Namitesh Roy Choudhury .
86 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981