PPG Industries announced two executive appointments, effective immediately. Dave Cole, former president of
Transitions Optical, has been appointed vice president, Packaging Coatings.
Cole reports to executive vice president
Viktor Sekmakas. PPG has completed the sale of its 51-percent ownership interest in its Transitions Optical
joint venture. Anup Jain, previously
PPG vice president, Silica Products,
has been appointed vice president,
Specialty Coatings and Materials. In
this expanded leadership role, Jain will
assume responsibility for the optical
monomers and coatings and OLED/
specialty synthesis businesses, and the
photochromics research-and-develop-ment organization. He will continue to
oversee PPG’s silica products business.
Jain reports to Sekmakas.
“These executives have demonstrated strong performance in leading their
respective businesses. I am confident
that Dave and Anup will continue to
contribute significantly to PPG’s business success in these key leadership
roles,” Sekmakas said.
Rick Elias, previously senior vice
president, Optical and Specialty
Materials, has retired from the company. Elias joined PPG in 1975 as a
chemist at the company’s Allison Park,
PA coatings research and development
center. He was named vice president of
sales and marketing when Transitions
Optical, Inc. was established in 1990,
and he progressed through various
leadership roles in PPG’s optical products business, prior to being named
senior vice president, optical and specialty materials, in 2008.
“Rick’s leadership in building the
Transitions Optical business from the
ground up to its current status as a
global leader in photochromic ophthalmic eyewear is one of PPG’s greatest success stories,” said PPG chairman
and CEO Charles E. Bunch.
William L. Baker Named VP
North American Operations
at Sudarshan
Sudarshan has announced that William
L. Baker will assume responsibility for
their North American
Operations for the
Industrial Division, responsible for Pigments
and Effect Pigments in
the coatings, inks and
plastics markets. This
role will be accountable
to expand Sudarshan’s
position in North
America while ensuring a strong presence
with both local and global customers.
Baker’s 26 years of global pigment
and additive experience with Ciba, along
with his six years of global experience
with International Specialty Products
and Ashland Inc., will be instrumental
in helping him attain Sudarshan’s goals.
His work experience includes sales, marketing, product management, technical
service, M&A manager for a pigment
joint venture in Asia, as well as numerous years as VP of business operations for
large multi-national corporations.
BASF Appoints François
Desné to Lead Global
Water, Oilfield and Mining
Solutions
BASF has appointed François Desné
as senior vice president, Global Water,
Oilfield and Mining Solutions, BASF
SE, Ludwigshafen. He succeeds Steffen
Kudis, who will assume responsibility
for the Global Strategic Management
and New Business Development Unit,
Performance Chemicals, BASF SE. Desné
started his professional career with
Rhodia, where he held a variety of posi-
tions. In 2003, he joined BASF as busi-
ness development manager, Corporate
Planning and Controlling, BASF
Coatings. He later moved on to hold
management positions in the coatings
business of BASF in the Asia Pacific re-
gion. Prior to his new role, he was se-
nior vice president, Global Leather and
Textile Chemicals, BASF South East Asia
Pte. Ltd., based in Singapore.
Fergus Clarke Joins
Picodeon as CEO
Picodeon, a Finnish coating technology
specialist announced that Fergus Clarke
has joined the company as chief executive officer. Clarke brings more than 25
years of global high technology management experience. His appointment comes
at a point where Picodeon is experiencing strong interest from OEMs in battery,
LED, optical and life science applications,
the company reported.
PolyOne Makes Executive
Appointments
PolyOne Corporation has made two executive appointments. Mark Crist will
become senior vice president, president
of distribution, and Kurt Schuering will
serve as vice president, global key account
management. Crist will be responsible for
driving profitable growth and customer
service for PolyOne’s $1.1 billion distribution business.
PolyOne distributes a diverse portfolio of engineering and commodity grade
polymers on behalf of its world-class
suppliers in North America, Asia and
Central America. Crist joined PolyOne
in 2008 as a global commercial director.
He was later promoted to vice president,
key account management, where he was
responsible for building and growing
PolyOne’s largest multinational customer
relationships. He also served as vice president of Asia, while based in Shanghai,
where he led PolyOne’s growth in the
region to unprecedented levels in 2013.
Prior to PolyOne, Crist spent 20 years
with Nalco Chemical Company, serving
in various sales, marketing and general
manager roles focused on specialty markets in Europe and North America. CW
PPG Makes Executive Appointments
William L. Baker
