Arkema appointments on July 1st

07/06/2011    Press Release

• Rich Rowe, currently Managing Director of the Functional Additives business unit, has been appointed Managing Director of the Fluorochemicals business unit.
• Christophe Villain, currently Managing Director of the Specialty Chemicals business unit (CECA), has been appointed Managing Director of the PMMA business unit (Altuglas International),
• Manny Katz, currenty Arkema Inc. Vice President Goods & Services Purchasing and Supply Chain, has been appointed Managing Director of the Functional Additives business unit,
• Marc-Antoine Mallet has been appointed Managing Director of the Specialty Chemicals business unit (CECA).
• Michelle Williams has been appointed Managing Director of the Hydrogen Peroxide business unit.

Rich Rowe holds a PhD in Chemistry from Bucknell University. After beginning his career in adhesives at Findley where he held a number of commercial posts, he joined the Atofina group in 1999 as Regional Group President Performance Polymers for North America. In 2004 he became Vice President Supply Chain in charge of Purchasing and Logistics at Arkema Inc. Since 2007, he had been Managing Director of the Functional Additives business unit.

Christophe Villain is a graduate of the Paris Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie. He began his career with Elf Atochem in 1987 as Polypropylene Development Engineer within the Appryl subsidiary. In 1990, he joined General Electric Plastics to head marketing in the automobile sector. In 1996, he became Head of Elf Atochem’s Polystyrene Department, and in 2001 Head of Atofina’s global Bleaching Department. In 2003, he was appointed Managing Director of Arkema’s Urea Formaldehyde Resins business unit. Since 2006, he had been Managing Director of CECA, Arkema’s Specialty Chemicals subsidiary.

Manny Katz graduated in chemical engineering at Rutgers College of Engineering in Piscataway (NJ). He began his career with M&T Chemicals, a subsidiary of the Elf group, as Process Development Engineer. In 1990 he joined Elf Atochem where he held a number of commercial functions. In 2000 he became responsible for the Thiochemicals business, and in 2006 for Fluorochemicals in North America. Since September 2009, he had been Arkema Inc. Vice President Goods & Services Purchasing and Supply Chain.

Marc-Antoine Mallet is a graduate of Ecole Centrale de Paris and Institut de Contrôle de Gestion. He began his career in 1983 at Rhône-Poulenc where he held a number of posts in I.T. and industrial production in France and the US. From 1990 to 1996, he headed the Mastics Silicones Europe profit center. From 1996 to 1998, he was Managing Director of Rhodia Silicones Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong. In 1999, he became Managing Director of Rhodia Ingrédients Pharmaceutiques Analgésiques. From 2001 to 2003, he became Chief Executive Officer of Rhodia ChiRex in Boston (US). He had been Executive Director of the Rougier group (production, processing and international trade in tropical woods) since 2004.

Michelle Williams holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Salt Lake and an MBA from Wharton University. She began her career in 1987 in commercial and industrial functions at Rohm and Haas where she spent her entire career. In 1996, she joined the Agriculture Chemicals Division where she held the posts of Director Development followed by Director Strategy. In 2000, she joined the Adhesives Division as Head of Sales in North America. In 2005, she was appointed Sales Director for the packaging and construction markets. Since 2009, she had been Managing Director of Dow Chemicals’ Advanced Materials Division.

A global chemical company and France’s leading chemicals producer, Arkema is building the future of the chemical industry every day. Deploying a responsible, innovation-based approach, we produce state-of-the-art specialty chemicals that provide customers with practical solutions to such challenges as climate change, access to drinking water, the future of energy, fossil fuel preservation and the need for lighter materials. With operations in more than 40 countries, 14,000 employees and 8 research centers, Arkema generated annual revenue of around €5.9 billion in 2010 and holds leadership positions in all its markets with a portfolio of internationally recognized brands. The world is our inspiration.