Our organisation

Ester Baiget is business president for Dow Industrial Solutions. She is responsible for ensuring long-term growth and profitability as well as the strategic direction and global business performance of this industry-leading portfolio that provides products used as functional ingredients or processing aids in the manufacture of a diverse range of products.

With several years of varied international experience as a technical and commercial business leader, she has driven transformational change and enhanced profitability across a diverse range of businesses. She has a track record of achieving results that outpace average market growth and of defining strategy to optimize the commercialization of innovative new product families and generate new margin sales. At the same time she shares her passion for science and inspires colleagues and future generations of STEM engineers.

Baiget joined Dow in 1995 as an engineer in Tarragona, Spain, part of the team accountable for the start-up and commissioning Dow’s first metallocence asset in EMEA. Since then, she has held a variety of technical, commercial and strategic roles of increasing importance and responsibility. Some key accomplishments include: technical sales leader for Dow Fiber Solutions where she led the development of Dow’s Global Textile Technology Centre; global director of strategic development, working directly with Dow’s chairman and CEO and global business director for the EO/EG and Technology business. Most recently, she served as EMEAI commercial director for Dow Elastomers, Electrical & Telecommunications, with responsibility for profit and loss as well as the commercial organization, end-use marketing and customer relationships for the business portfolio across the region. She took on her current role in 2016.

Baiget represents Dow as Vice-President of EPCA (The European Petrochemical Association) and is a STEM ambassador. Ester previously represented Dow on the board of MEGlobal, a joint venture between Dow and Petrochemical Industries Company of Kuwait

Based in Horgen, Switzerland, she holds a chemical engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Tarragona (Spain).

Johan Devos started his career as sales representative with Huktra NV at Zeebrugge, Belgium. He joined Bertschi AG in 1993 as sales representative for Northern Europe and the UK/Ireland. Currently Johan holds the position of Chief Sales Officer (CSO) for the Bertschi Group. He is also a member of the Bertschi Management Steering team.

Johan holds a Bachelor degree as a translator German-English-Dutch as well as a Business Management Degree. He also attended the Sales Management Programme at the Vlerick Business School (B-Louvain)

Education

• 1983-1989  Studied economics at the Ruhr University Bochum
• 1989           Diplom-Ökonom

Career

• 1989-1995  Various Marketing & Sales functions, Hüls AG
• 1996-2006  Internal Management Consulting, Hüls AG
                     Corporate function Fusion and Integration, Degussa AG
• 2006-2012  Corporate functions Strategy, RAG
                     Head of Corporate Development, Evonik Industries AG
• 2012-2014  Head of Site Services, Evonik Industries
• 2015           AG Head of Management Segment Performance Materials, Evonik Industries AG

Leonardo Mascolo born in Foggia (Italy), is married and has an eight year old daughter.

He holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from Bologna University with a specialization in TLCs and Microelectronics and a post-grade Master in Telecommunications (1994, I.S.S.T., Rome) and one in Business Management (2001, LUISS Business School, Rome).

He joined Repsol Group in 1999 as Production Assistant at Repsol’s PMMA plant in Rome, Italy.

In early 2000, he took on the position of Production, Logistic & TI.

In June 2002 he was named General Manager of Repsol Polivar S.p.A., position that he maintained until 2008 when the PMMA business was sold to Arkema by Repsol.

In mid-2008 Mr. Mascolo moved to Repsol’s Headquarters (Madrid, Spain) as Product Manager for Olefins & Aromatics until the end of 2010.

Since January 2011 he is Repsol’s Base Petrochemicals Director.

Hartwig Michels was born in 1963. He studied Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Hans-Christian Sievers
1985 - 1987: Helm AG Hamburg
1987 - 1994: Helm de México, Mexico City Product Manager Chemicals, Sales and Purchases
1994 - 2000: Managing Director of Helm de México
2001 - 2011: Member of the Executive Board of Helm AG, Hamburg responsible for Helm's foreign subsidiaries
As of 2012: Chairman of the Executive Board of Helm AG, Hamburg

Other activities:

- Ostasiatischer Verein, Hamburg Member of the Board

- Lateinamerikaverein, Hamburg Member of the Board

Mr. Paweł Szostek is a graduate of University of Gdansk.

He has completed postgraduate studies of European Law and Integration at the Technical University of Gdansk and he has also gained a title of ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

Since 2005 he holds various positions at PKN ORLEN S.A. with last three positions of Director of Sales Controlling Department at PKN ORLEN S.A., CFO of ORLEN OIL and Director of Key Account Wholesale Services at PKN ORLEN S.A.

Since 1st of June 2018 he holds the position of Executive Director of Petrochemical Sales. He also serves as Member of the Board of ORLEN KolTrans (Poland), Paramo (Czech Republic) and Ventus Nafta (Lithuania).

Chet M. Thompson

President, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers

Chet Thompson began his role as president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers AFPM) in May 2015. Thompson leads a staff that advocates for petroleum refiners and petrochemical manufacturers before Congress and the Executive Branch on a broad range of public policy issues. AFPM, under his leadership, works to emphasize the importance of petroleum refiners and petrochemical manufacturers and their positive impact on U.S. manufacturing, jobs growth, energy independence and national security.

Prior to joining AFPM, Thompson was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell and Moring LLP, where he was chairman of the Environment & Natural Resources Group, one of the country’s premier environmental practices. His practice included counseling, litigation, and regulatory and legislative representation for a wide array of clients under major environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act; the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, the Resource Conservation Act; and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, Liability and Recovery Act. While at Crowell Morning he represented AFPM as external counsel for nine years.

Thompson previously served as deputy general counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where he provided legal advice to the Agency’s administrator, general counsel and program offices. Before joining EPA in 2004, he spent 10 years at Collier Shannon Scott PLLC, where his work focused on the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Thompson has been recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the U.S. by Chambers & Partners, and was awarded a Certificate of Accommodation by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006. Thompson holds a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College and a J.D. from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law. He and his family reside in Potomac, Maryland.

• 2010 – today –  Bayer AG Leverkusen, Procurment, Global storage, bulk shipping and plant logistics.
• 2006 – 2010  –  Bayer AG Leverkusen, Procurement Global Plant Logistics.
• 1989 – 2006  –  Bayer Antwerp NV – different operational & site logistics management functions.
• 1988 – 1989  –  Steinweg NV Antwerp – shipping clerc.
• 1985 – 1986  –  Lloyd insurance  NV – insurance clerc.

I get my degree in Industrial Chemistry at the Science University Of Valladolid (Spain) in 1985 and after two years working in the waste water biological treatment sector I began my career in Repsol in 1988. In this company I started as technician of quality in our Polyolefins facilities at our Puertollano complex, before moving to our Technical Center in Madrid in 1990, working in the development of new Polyethylene products, mainly for the film and sheet sector .  In 1997, I completed my MBA at the IESE School of Madrid and in parallel I moved to the Business Line of Polypropylene. In this new department I worked as Product Manager in different applications (injection, automotive sector) until 2007 when I was promoted to the role of Business Director of PP where I worked until the beginning of this year. At present I lead the Logistics and Customer Services Department of our Chemical Division.

Born: 1957 in Hall in Tirol, Austria

Harald Bortolotti joined LKW WALTER International in 1978 upon completing his education at the Innsbruck Commercial College.

Having started in UK operations he successively took on the role of Sales Manager for Italy, Spain and Germany.

He was then Director of Human Resources in Kufstein, before becoming Sales Director and Associated Member of the Board - positions he currently holds.

He has decades of experience as Key Account Manager for major players in the Petrochemical Industry. As Treasurer and Vice President of the European Freight Leaders & Logistics Forum, he is actively involved in working groups across industries and EU projects.

Johan Devos started his career as sales representative with Huktra NV at Zeebrugge, Belgium. He joined Bertschi AG in 1993 as sales representative for Northern Europe and the UK/Ireland. Currently Johan holds the position of Chief Sales Officer (CSO) for the Bertschi Group. He is also a member of the Bertschi Management Steering team.

Johan holds a Bachelor degree as a translator German-English-Dutch as well as a Business Management Degree. He also attended the Sales Management Programme at the Vlerick Business School (B-Louvain)

Simon Goswell is the Supply Chain Director for LyondellBasell’s  European, Middle East Africa and Asia Pacific Polymers and Chemical Supply Chain operations.   He has worked for LyondellBasell and its predecessor companies for the last 28 years in a variety of sales and business management roles and prior to his current role was the Sales Director for Europe, Middle East Africa and Asia Pacific for their Intermediates and Derivatives business.

Professional experience

SABIC

06-2014 – current                             Director Supply Chain Polymers, Europe

09-2013 – 06-2014                            Sr. Manager Supply Chain Sourcing & Contracting

09-2011 – 12-2013                            Integration Manager SABIC Port Logstics Facility, Jubail KSA

02-2010 – 09-2013                            Manager Supply Chain Improvements

01-2009 – 02-2010                            Project Manager 1SABIC

06-2005 – 01-2009                            Supply & Inventory Manager

Philips Semiconductors

12-2004 – 06-2005                            Business Analyst

Quintiq

04-2002 – 12-2004                            Business Consultant

Education

PhD in Operations Research        Erasmus University Rotterdam

MSc in Econometrics                      Maastricht University

Building on Talent                            IMD Business School

Hans Schäfer joined Hapag-Lloyd in 1994. After completing a trainee program, the Hamburg native worked in the Sales department of Hapag-Lloyd in Milan, Italy from 1997 to 1998. He then acquired a Master Degree in Business Administration. From 2000 to 2003, he was employed by PriceWaterhouseCoopers before returning to Hapag-Lloyd in Global Account Development. From 2005 until 2008, Hans Schäfer served as Director of Sales in Vietnam and then in Trade Management Far East in Singapore until 2010. From 2010, he was responsible for Region Europe as Senior Director Sales and Customer Service. Hans Schäfer was appointed Managing Director Global Markets/Global Sales in July 2014.

Peter Devos is Managing Director at ECTA, the European Chemical Transport Association.

In 1988, he graduated as AgroEngineer from the University of Louvain, Belgium and holds a second master in Industrial and Business Management.

After a Supply Chain career of more than 25 years at Monsanto in different leading supply chain functions and disciplines across Europe, Peter started up his own independent company in 2016. As independent Supply Chain Practitioner, he is now focusing to further improve the Chemical logistics processes and this together with all stakeholders across the Chemical Supply Chain.

Nick Bastiaansen holds a Master degree in Applied Economics from the K.U.Leuven with a major in International Business. He joined the Total Group in 2007 and has held different positions within the Group since then, both in Paris and Brussels. He is currently Senior Trader Aromatics within the Refining & Base Chemicals Europe division.

Born in 1984, Alain Hadorn has finished his studies with a Master of Arts in Law and Economics in 2009 and worked in a leading business law firm in Zürich thereafter. He passed his bar exam in 2013. By January 2014, Alain Hadorn joined the Bertschi Group and has undergone a complete logistics traineeship program incl. planning, a period as truck driver, leading a dispatch-department as well as tender and HR management. Since 2015, Alain Hadorn is Project Manager Quotations for the Business Units Liquids of the Bertschi Group, and as such also Deputy Commercial Manager of this BU. He is married and father of 2 boys.

Marina Ismael Michen holds a PhD in Materials Engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. She works for The Dow Chemical Company since 2011, where she experienced different positions from technical to commercial. Since March 2018 she works for the Industrial Solutions business as the Global Market Segment Leader for the Crop Defense segment and as the Market Segment Manager for Food, Feed and Crop Defense in EMEAI. She is Brazilian and lives in Switzerland with her husband and children.

Jochem Meijknecht is a Commercial Manager responsible for commercial and operational activities of the LyondellBasell Propylene system in Europe.

Together with a team of 7, he coordinates the sales from 4 crackers and purchases for 11 Poly-propylene and 3 Propylene-Oxide plants. Having joined LyondellBasell in 2014, he previously held the role of Business Consultant for the Global Gasoline Components team.

Jochem holds degrees in Finance and International Relations, and worked for 3 years at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations.

Jarno Ott started his career in shortsea business and is now working for Huntsman since 2014 (Purchasing Department) as Senior Buyer of Logistic Services for the Huntsman Performance Products Division within EAME region.

2000-2004  -  University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA  -  B.S. in Chemical Engineering

2004  -  Operations Assignment Program – Dow Chemical Company - Freeport, TX, USA

2006  -  Coproducts & Oxy Fluids Contact Engineer – ExxonMobil Chemical  -  Baton Rouge, LA, USA

2008  -  Oxy Fluids Production Coordinator -  Baton Rouge, LA, USA

2009  -  Olefins and Light Ends Coordination Section Supervisor -  Baton Rouge, LA, USA

2010  -  USGC NGL Supply Planner – EM Gas & Power Marketing -  Houston, TX, USA

2012  -   Metals Mechanical Section Supervisor – ExxonMobil Chemical -  Baytown, TX, USA

2013  -  Process Section Supervisor -  Baytown, TX, USA

2015  -  Americas Manufacturing Planning Manager -  Houston, TX, USA

2016  -  Global Basic Chemicals Planning Advisor -  Brussels, Belgium

Nathalie Brunelle, Senior Vice President Strategy, Development & Research of Total’s Refining & Chemicals Division. 

Ms. Brunelle is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school in Paris and of a joint post graduate program between the French Petroleum institute (IFP) and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. 

After the mergers between Total, Fina and Elf, Ms. Brunelle transferred to Belgium, where she held different positions in Business Development and Marketing & Sales for Base Chemicals. From 2006 to 2008, she was Operations Manager at Fina Antwerp Olefins, a joint venture between Total Petrochemicals and ExxonMobil in Antwerp. 

In 2009, she was named Vice President; Strategic Planning at Total Petrochemicals and in 2010 became Vice President, Base Chemicals Marketing & Sales. 

Mrs. Brunelle was appointed to her current position on January 1, 2012 and transferred to Paris headquarters. 

Mrs. Brunelle has been non-executive Director of CEPSA and Rosier SA (Fertilizers).

Emanuele Bianchi is Training and Development Manager for International Resources in Versalis (Eni). His professional path in ENI began in Eni Corporate University in the Recruitment Department.

He has been in Versalis since 2007, initially in the Training & Development on the Italian plants and more recently on International context. Experienced in career counselling, he manages selection and induction activities, performance management and annual reviews, professional paths within the company and training needs.

Graduated from Cattolica University of Milan – Faculty of Psychology, he holds a certification from a Couselling Training School founded on Carl Rogers’ person - centered approach.

In his current role Thomas is leading the ISC strategy implementation, including facilitating the Integrated Business Planning (IBP)/Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and leading the Planning team for several product lines in Performance Silicones.

Thomas’ responsibility at IBP/S&OP level is also to manage overall Performance Silicones Exports in the context of the STAR implementation.

Thomas started his career in 2002 in Dow Stade Site Logistics being responsible for the central drumming facility including scheduling of activities, technical support and development, ODMS and auditing for GMP & ISO, after he worked for three years for a beverage company in Germany as a Trainee in Supply Chain and in Project Management.

Assignments as Business Supply Chain Planner within the EPOXY business and as Operations Service Leader in Dow Logistics supported his development so that he took over the role as Mode Leader for Road, Rail & Outplant Operations in August 2013. In this role Thomas was responsible for all Road & Rail Transportation in Europe as well as all Terminal and Warehouse operations in the Region before he was named Dow Logistics Director Europe in August 2016. In this role Thomas was responsible to further develop the Dow Logistics Organization in Europe and to lead all organizational integration activities for Lion and Orion. In addition to this, Thomas was acting as the interim Leader for the ITO Team in Dow Logistics with the key responsibility of splitting the organization into two teams including hiring and onboarding new leaders for each of them to ensure future success. 

Thomas was named to his current role as Global ISC Director Performance Silicones in February 2017. 

In addition, Thomas is member of the EMEAI Steering Team for WIN representing the Supply Chain function in this critical program. He is also trainer for several Dow Trainings and acts as a Sponsor in the Sponsor to Success program to support women in their career development. 

Thomas graduated with a Diploma in Economic Engineering for Transportation and Logistics from the Technical University Bremerhaven, Germany. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and holds an APICS CSCP certification.

Born 16 June 1964 in Klagenfurt, Austria

Married, two children

Living in Pulheim, Germany

Academic background

University of Vienna, Vienna University of Economics and Business Communications and Publicity, Anthropology, Philosophy, Slavic Studies, Advertising, Public Relations

Work experience

Freelance journalist and author for Austrian and German media, broadcasters and PR/media agencies (e.g. ORF, GGK)

Lecturer for German as a foreign language

Casting and promotion for film directors and agencies

Employment

From 1995 PR Consultant in Vienna based agency Partners in Public Relations, with customers such as Plastics Europe, ECVM, API, Kooperationsabkommen Forst-Platte-Papier etc.

From 1997 Manager for Communications and QSHE for EVC (European Vinyls Corporation), later INEOS ChlorVinyls in Wilhelmshaven/Germany; API Board Member

Since 2008 Head of Communications for INEOS in Köln with 2,000 employees and 200 apprentices/dual students and INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe with 3,700 employees; responsible for internal and external communications; community relations, lobbying, emergency response, CSR (GO Run For Fun, The Daily Mile) etc.

Professional associations/membership

IPRA Germany Chair, IPRA Golden World Award, TuWaS!

Community Board, EACV, DPRG, BDP, VCI Deutschland, VCI North Rhine-Westphalia, Wirtschaftsrat Deutschland, Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce’ Diversity Workshop, Common Purpose Rhineland, University lecturer, NLP practitioner

Awards

International Corporate Media Award of Excellence, 2013

City of Cologne’s “Diversity wins!” Award, 2012

Hobbies

Sports, travelling, arts, Austrian cuisine

Loraine is currently Executive Logistics and Distribution Manager for the Chemical division of Exxon Mobil in Europe, Middle East & Africa. Her organization is responsible for the efficient operation of the network chain while driving improvements to meet service needs to enable the execution of the business strategies. The span is broad, from raw material sourcing and production planning, managing imports and exports flows around the world through to delivery of finished product to the end customer. She is leading a global program to bring upgraded IT platform functionality to the logistics and distribution network. Her team is also responsible for infrastructure improvements that support the integrated supply chain aspects of multibillion $ capital growth projects. Her passion is the relentless pursuit of excellence in Safety, Health and Environmental performance. 

Loraine graduated in Chemistry at the University of Loughborough, UK, in 1987 and joined ExxonMobil Chemical in the commercial organization in Southampton, England.  She held a variety of positions in sales, manufacturing, quality, logistics, procurement and market development before joining the technology organization in 1993, based in Machelen, Belgium.  This was followed by roles in product management, marketing and financial reporting across a number of chemical businesses.  

In 2003 she relocated to Houston, USA, to take up a global business planning position, followed by supply and then manufacturing, including a focus on energy efficiency.  In 2010, Loraine returned to Belgium in the Intermediates business before taking up her current position in January 2013.   

For many years she has engaged in Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, both within the corporation and in more public settings. She sees this as a key enabler to drive innovation and operational improvements in the business and more broadly in industry. 

Loraine lives in Brussels and is married with 2 children.    

Hans-Christoph Six is Senior Vice President HR at Evonik Performance Materials located in Essen / Germany. He studied business administration and has more than 25 years of professional experience in different global acting companies.

Education:
27.07.1986 – 07.07.1988:      apprenticeship industrial clerk, Telenorma GmbH, Frankfurt
01.10.1988 – 08.10.1991:      university of applied sciences, Frankfurt; diploma in business administration 

Career:
08.07.1988 – 30.09.1988:      Telenorma GmbH
Industrial Clerk / Administrator global HR-reporting 

01.02.1992 – 31.05.2001:      Milupa GmbH & Co. KG
HR manager and director in different roles and countries 

01.06.2001 – 29.02.2004:      Degussa AG
HR-Manager Business-Unit Finechemicals                                          

01.03.2004 – 31.05.2012:      Evonik Industries AG
Global HR-Partner for the Service-Unit Process-Technology and Engineering / Chemical Energy Management 

01.03.2004 – 31.05.2012:      Evonik Industries AG
Global HR-Partner for the Business Unit Advanced Intermediates 

Since 01.01.2015:                  Evonik Performance Materials GmbH
Global HR-Partner for the Segment Performance Materials

Dorothee Arns, a German national, completed her university studies in Saarbruecken (Germany), Dublin (Ireland) and Granada (Spain) with two Master degrees: one in Applied Languages & Linguistics and the other one in Business Administration with special focus on Marketing, International Management and private law. Her professional career in the chemical industry started in 1995 when she joined the marketing & sales trainee programme of BASF in Ludwigshafen. In the course of the years she held senior management positions in various areas of BASF´s chemicals business, notably in marketing, sales, eBusiness and controlling.

On 1 July 2013 she was appointed Executive Director of Cefic’s Petrochemicals and Plastic Additives Programme as well as of Petrochemicals Europe, the Association of Petrochemical Producers in Europe, formerly APPE. In a first assignment to Cefic from 2006 to 2011 she headed the solvents’ cluster as Director General of ESIG, the European Solvents Industry Group.