Names in the News for January

The following industry professionals have recently received appointments or promotions.

OQ Chemicals has appointed Silvia Weppler as chief financial officer. Weppler succeeds Stefan Schmidt who left the company after 15 years. Weppler brings more than two decades of experience in leadership roles in finance, controlling, and digitalization in various industries, most recently serving as group chief financial officer and managing director at BMTS in Technology in Stuttgart, Germany.

Korinna Möller-Boxberger and Frank Haug have assumed sole ownership of Bodo Möller Chemie since Viola Möller’s departure in December, with Haug now the majority shareholder. Möller-Boxberger has been associated with the company since childhood and took up a role in its executive management in 1996. Haug has steered and advanced the company’s growth to date: from a turnover of 6 million euros and 12 employees in 2000 to a globally active company today with a turnover of 200 million euros and 340 employees worldwide. Haug became chairman of the board in 2000 and has been a shareholder since 2005.

Shamrock Technologies, Inc. has announced the appointment of Michael Kellen as president. Kellen has managed direct sales and chemical manufacturing divisions for more than 25 years, serving in senior leadership roles for the inks, coatings, and chemical industries.

Kellen will be supported by a global team of experienced leaders and advisors, including Shamrock’s former president, Joon Choo. Choo will stay on as a consultant to support the new leadership transition and changes for Shamrock.

PPG has announced that Jonathan Edwards has been promoted to director, investor relations. Edwards will report to Vince Morales, PPG senior vice president and chief financial officer. He replaces John Bruno, who was appointed PPG vice president, finance, in July 2023. Edwards joined PPG in 2002 as a financial analyst. In 2013, he became global finance director, protective and marine coatings. In 2016, Edwards relocated to Rolle, Switzerland, to serve as PPG’s regional chief financial officer for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, before returning to the United States in 2020 as global finance director for PPG’s global architectural coatings businesses. Edwards has been assistant treasurer since 2022.

In other PPG news, Peter Votruba-Drzal will become vice president-elect, global sustainability, effective immediately. Diane Kappas, current PPG vice president, global sustainability, has announced her retirement, effective July 1. Votruba-Drzal joined PPG in 2005. Since 2022, he has led the technical activities for PPG’s architectural coatings and traffic solutions businesses. Prior to this role, Votruba-Drzal led the research and product development activities for PPG’s mobility initiatives in addition to the automotive and industrial coatings segments.

BASF has announced that Markus Kamieth will succeed Martin Brudermüller as chairman of the board of executive directors at BASF SE, effective at the end of the annual shareholders meeting on April 25. Kamieth has been a member of the board of executive directors since 2017. Brudermüller, who has been chairman of the board of executive directors since 2018, has been a member of the board of executive directors since 2006.

In other BASF news, the supervisory board has appointed Anup Kothari, currently president of the nutrition and health division, to the board of executive directors effective March 1. The board has also appointed Katja Scharpwinkel to the board of executive directors and as director of industrial relations, effective February 1,. She is currently president of the EMEA region.

RadTech has announced three newly elected board members for a two-year term in 2024-2025:   Christopher N. Bowman, the University of Colorado; Dianne Poster, United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Jeremy Smith, Corporate Innovation Office of Nagase Holdings America.

Meanwhile, RadTech Europe has announced the appointment of Angelique Runacre as the organization’s new president and Holly Steedman as vice president. Runacre, who has more than 25 years of experience in UV ink technology, is the technical manager of research and development at FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group.Steedman, director of business and technology development at IST INTECH,  brings 18 years of experience in the energy curing industry, specifically in UV LED technology.

Wayne E. Jones Jr. has been elected chair of the board of directors of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Jones will preside over the board and executive committee meetings, appoint chairs and members of board committees and task forces, oversee the performance of the CEO, and support strategic planning and evaluation of progress toward those goals, among other duties. Jones is provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Hampshire and has been a member of ACS since 1989.

Beckers Group has announced the appointment of Nicklas Augustsson as its first ever chief sustainability officer. Augustsson has been with Beckers for more than 20 years,  working in various departments covering sales, research and development, and technical services. Since 2016, his focus has been sustainability, driving Beckers’ global sustainability agenda and heading the group sustainability department.

“In creating a chief sustainability officer seat on the executive committee, we want to strengthen what we do to reach our 2030 sustainability targets. This is a strong message to our internal organization and to our customers and stakeholders … Beckers is committed on sustainability.” said Christophe Sabas, Beckers Group CEO.