BASF Hones Asia Pacific Focus; Names New Health and Nutrition Exec

BASF is strengthening its regional organization in Asia Pacific and is separately appointing a new president to lead its nutrition and health division.

Saori Dubourg, the current president of regional functions and country management Asia Pacific, will join the company's nutrition and health division based in Lampertheim, Germany on May 1. Effective June 1, she will assume the responsibility for the division.

Dubourg replaces Walter Dissinger, president of nutrition and health, who will leave the company at his own request effective May 31.

Effective April 1, Albert Heuser, president market and business development Asia Pacific, will be named president Greater China and functions Asia Pacific. He will assume the responsibility for BASF’s market and business development and operations in Greater China as well as for all functional units in Asia Pacific. Heuser will be based in Shanghai.

BASF said this organizational change underlines the strategic importance of the Chinese market for the company and will reduce organizational complexity as well as increase market and customer focus in the Asia Pacific marketplace. Greater China is BASF’s third-largest market worldwide with sales of €6.7 billion in 2012 and more than 8,400 employees.

Effective May 1, Gops Pillay, senior vice president dispersions and pigments Asia Pacific, will become president South and East Asia, ASEAN, and Australia/New Zealand. He will assume the responsibility for all regional business units in Asia Pacific as well as for all countries in Asia Pacific outside of China. He will be based in Hong Kong.

Heuser and Pillay will both report to Martin Brudermüller, vice chairman of the board of executive directors of BASF SE and responsible for Asia Pacific.

“With these changes, we are improving the efficiency of our Asia Pacific organization to better capture the opportunities in this dynamic region,” said Brudermüller. “China accounts for approximately 50% of our Asia Pacific business, and the achievements of the team during the past years have been remarkable. Moving one of our three regional top management positions to Shanghai with direct responsibility for our activities in China will enable us to keep our growth momentum.”

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