Nitrogen+Syngas 366 Jul-Aug 2020
31 July 2020
People
People
IFA has announced the appointment of its Senior Director of Agriculture, Patrick Heffer, as the organisation’s Interim Director General as of May 1st. A formal search process for the next Director General has already been launched. Previous IFA Director General Charlotte Hebebrand stepped down at the end of April to assume a new role as Executive Vice-President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Nutrien, and says that she looks forward to continuing engagement with IFA.
During her nearly eight years’ tenure at IFA, Hebebrand, working closely with the IFA board and secretariat, introduced a number of new areas of focus and initiatives, including a reshaping and expansion of IFA’s market intelligence, a strong emphasis on product and nutrient stewardship, enhanced policy and research capabilities and an expansion of multi-lateral engagements and international cooperation.
“Charlotte has made significant and lasting contributions to IFA and to our industry” said IFA Chairman and CEO of OCP, Mostafa Terrab, who recognised in particular her commitment to dialogue and her far-sighted approach to long-term development and growth, such as the distillation of the plausible future scenarios as part of the IFA 2030 strategic exercise, as well as the creation of a Scientific Panel on Responsible Plant Nutrition. “The Board would like to thank her for her extraordinary service and leadership”.
Patrick Heffer is a very experienced, longstanding executive team member who joined IFA in 2002 and for the past 18 years has coordinated the association’s global agronomic, market and policy activities in relation to fertilizer use. Before joining IFA, he spent 15 years with the seed industry, including five years with the International Seed Federation, and two years with the FAO’s Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service.
Heffer, whose appointment coincides with the new global challenges caused by the Covid Pandemic, remarked: “I am grateful for this opportunity, and in cooperation with IFA’s team of directors as well as IFA’s experienced and devoted staff, I will make sure that the Association continues to deliver on its goals and objectives. In these trying times, we, at IFA, are even more committed to delivering the support, in terms of information, benchmarks, data, market insights, partnerships, policy analysis and reputation management tools, that our members and external stakeholders expect from us.”
Gambarotta Gschwendt gas announce the appointment of Davide Gambarotta as its new Chief Executive Officer and sole owner designate. He replaces the former CEO with immediate effect, and will keep on his position as CEO and sole director of MDG Handling Solutions. Gambarotta Gschwendt and MDG will operate jointly under the Gambarotta Group, with Gambarotta Gschwendt responsible for the design and production of equipment for bulk material handling and MDG Handling Solutions offering complete EP/EPC packages.
In May Roeland Baan joined Haldor Topsoe as the company’s new CEO, following the announcement of his appointment back in February. Baan was previously CEO of Finnish steel giant Outokumpu. On his first day in the office, Baan said: “This is a special day for me. Topsoe is an exceptional company that has made a huge difference for the refining and chemical industries for decades. I have no doubt that Topsoe has the potential to expand this strong market position and lead the way into a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. I have been looking forward to begin this journey together with the board and the leadership team as well as Topsoe’s customers and dedicated employees.”
Jeppe Christiansen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Haldor Topsoe A/S, commented: “Roeland Baan has remarkable global experience and a proven track record of driving growth, developing businesses and building cohesive organizations. I am convinced he will contribute to the continued strong performance of Haldor Topsoe. Topsoe is a profitable company with a solid core business. With Roe-land’s direction, we will continue to focus on being global leader in the markets in which we operate.”
Gene Mueller has been appointed President, North America for Clariant as of April 1st, 2020. In his role, he will oversee the strategic objectives of the regional business units in pursuit of a company-wide growth agenda. He is also responsible for ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place to support the businessess effectively. The company currently employs over 1,900 people in approximately 50 sites across the US and Canada, including manufacturing sites, laboratories and sales facilities. Mueller has worked for Clariant in various roles for 30 years, including stints in New Jersey, Charlotte, and Switzerland, where he held the position of Head of Commercial Excellence. In 2013, he moved to Louisville, KY working for the Catalysts business unit where he was responsible for the Fuel Upgrading Market Segment and most recently Business Segment Petrochemicals.
Ahmed El-Hoshy will become the new CEO of OCI NV, effective from August 1st. His predecessor and current CEO, Nassef Sawiris, will assume the position of Executive Chairman of OCI’s board, with continued responsibility for directing OCI’s strategy. El Hoshy is currently chief operating officer of OCI, prior to which he led OCI’s expansion in North America from zero in 2011 to its current 5.5 million t/a of fertilizer capacity today. He has also held various other senior leadership roles, including CEO of OCI Partners and CEO of OCI Americas.
Nassef Sawiris commented: “In my new role, I can fully focus on OCI’s strategic direction, and I look forward to working with the team to create long-term value for our shareholders, as we can see a wide array of exciting opportunities ahead that benefit the company, the market and our stakeholders. I also believe this is an opportune moment for the management change: this year marks an important inflection point for the company as we expect to achieve run-rate production across the platform, allowing us to benefit disproportionately from a recovery in the economic cycle.”
Ahmed El-Hoshy commented: “I am excited to take on this new role and look forward to continue working alongside Nassef, Hassan and the whole team. We have already built an industry-leading and highly efficient global platform that delivers crucial products to the world. We will continue our focus on operational and commercial excellence and recently bolstered this effort with the appointment of Bart Voet as VP Manufacturing to lead our global production platform. Our world-class asset base, led by exceptional employees, is well-positioned to drive value and growth within a framework of ever-increasing focus on safety and sustainability.”
Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Ltd has approved Sarfaraz Ahmed Rehman as director/CEO with effect from June 10th, following the expiry of the contract of Lt General Javed Iqbal as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company. A chartered accountant by qualification, Rehman has 30 years of work experience, beginning with Unilever in 1983 and subsequently in companies such as Smithkline Beecham and Jardine Matheson/Olayan. He also launched Engro Foods Ltd in 2005 and was its CEO for over six years.
