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BASF has announced some changes to its leadership team. The company has appointed Dr. Stephan Kothrade, President, Intermediates, as a member of the board of executive directors from March 1st, 2023. Stephan Kothrade has been with BASF since 1995 and has led BASF’s Intermediates division since 2022. Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Supervisory Board said: “Stephan Kothrade has proven himself in several leadership roles in Germany and abroad. He has worked successfully for many years at our Verbund sites in Europe and Asia and will complement the Board of Executive Directors in an excellent way.” Kothrade succeeds Saori Dubourg, who left the company as from February 28, 2023, by mutual agreement. The board thanked Dubourg for her successful work and wished her all the best for her future career.

Christian-Matthias Jutzi, previously Senior Vice President, Mobile Emissions Catalysts will assume responsibility for the Corporate Finance Division in Ludwigshafen, Germany, from May 1st, 2023. He succeeds Dr. Dirk Elvermann, who was appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer and Chief Digital Officer by the Board in October last year. Finally, Ralph Schweens will retire effective March 31st, 2023. He will be succeeded by Dr. Mary Kurian, Senior Vice President, Petrochemicals North America, BASF Corporation, Houston, Texas. She will assume responsibility for the Care Chemicals global operating division at Ludwigshafen from April 1st, 2023.

In the United States, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has announced that Neil Caskey, a long-time professional in the agricultural arena, will be the organisation’s next CEO. Caskey has served as NCGA’s vice president of communications and industry relations for over four years and spent over a decade promoting agricultural issues as executive vice president at OBP Agency, an advertising and public relations firm. His professional background also includes work for the American Soybean Association and as a legislative aide for a US member of Congress.

Methanex’s new president and CEO Rich Sumner has made some changes to the company’s leadership as January 2023. Dean Richardson, previously Vice President, Corporate Finance, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, from February 1st, 2023. Richardson has worked closely with Ian Cameron, retiring Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer for over a decade, in a variety of progressively senior and strategic finance roles.

Kevin Maloney, Vice President, Corporate Development, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development. Vanessa James will step down from her role as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Sustainability and will support the transition through Q1 2023. Maloney was the Geismar 3 project business owner and is well equipped to take over executive leadership of G3, Methanex’s new project in Louisiana which is expected to produce methanol in Q4 2023.

Gustavo Parra, Vice President, Manufacturing Strategy and Planning, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, replacing Kevin Henderson, who retires as Senior Vice President, Manufacturing. Karine Delbarre, Vice President, North America Marketing & Logistics, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Global Marketing & Logistics, filling the vacancy left by Rich Sumner following his appointment as President and CEO.

Jesús Enrique Mora Marín has been appointed as CEO of the Brunei Methanol Company, responsible for the management control and direction of day-to-day activities of the company in accordance with the Board of Director. Mora majored in chemical engineering at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and served for many years with Metanol de Oriente, SA (Metor) in Venezuela, from which he retired in 2017.