Solvay expands its Executive Committee to enhance its customer focus

Solvay is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Executive Committee with three new members, in line with the Group’s commitment to improve its customer focus with a more diverse team to support its growth strategy.

The three new members, effective immediately, are Augusto Di Donfrancesco, who has lead Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit since 2011, Hua Du, who has been head of Special Chem since the GBU’s creation in 2015, and Cécile Tandeau de Marsac, who will also continue to head Human Resources for the Group. 

At the same time, Solvay announces that Roger Kearns, a member of the Executive Committee and supervisor of the Advanced Materials segment, has decided to return to the United States having accepted a new position in his home country. 

“Since the end of last year I’ve been planning to reinforce our Executive Committee, reflecting the profoundly transformed Group, with a more diverse team to contribute to the next step in Solvay’s transformation strategy. The Executive Committee has a good mix of operational, international and customer experiences while bringing a focus on talent management,” said Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay. “I want to warmly thank Roger for his long-standing commitment and contribution to Solvay’s growth strategy especially with the very quick and successful integration of Cytec. I wish him all the best with his new professional challenges.” 

The new Executive Committee consists of Jean-Pierre Clamadieu (CEO), Vincent De Cuyper, Augusto Di Donfrancesco, Hua Du, Karim Hajjar (CFO), Pascal Juéry and Cécile Tandeau de Marsac. 

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Augusto Di Donfrancesco began his Solvay career in 1987 as a process engineer in Rosignano, Italy. He has held multiple roles within the Solvay Group in Production, Technology and Commercial Operations in the Chemicals and Plastics divisions. In 2005 he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to become the General Manager of Solvay’s formerly owned Solvay Indupa. 

In 2009 he came to Brussels as General Manager of Specialty Polymers, and then returned to Italy in 2011 to become President of the newly created Global Business Unit Solvay Specialty Polymers.

Augusto Di Donfrancesco, an Italian national, graduated from Pisa University in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.

Hua Du began his career with Solvay as President of Solvay Rare Earth Systems in 2010. In 2015, he was appointed as the President of the new Global Business Unit Special Chem, which combines the former GBUs Rare Earths Systems and Special Chemicals as well as the fluorine part of the GBU Aroma Performance.

Before joining Solvay, he worked for more than 13 years at Rohm & Haas and Dow Chemical in the electronic materials business. 

Hua Du was born in 1969 as a national of Hong Kong SAR, China. In 1990, he graduated from Beijing University with a major in BS Chemistry. In 1995, he obtained a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Cécile Tandeau de Marsac was appointed Solvay’s General Manager Human Resources in September 2012, following Solvay’s acquisition of Rhodia in 2011. She joined Rhodia in 2007 and was appointed Human Resources Director for the Polyamide and Energy Services business unit and for the Human Resources Function. She led the growth ambition project “Rhodia Move for Growth” in 2010. 

Cécile Tandeau de Marsac is graduate from management and business school, Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rouen (E.S.C Rouen). Her career began at Nestlé Group where she worked at the Marketing and Human Resources Functions for 20 years. 

Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers in diverse global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in planes, cars, smart and medical devices, batteries, in mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications promoting sustainability. Its lightweighting materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 27,000 employees in 58 countries. Net sales were € 10.9 billion in 2016, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world’s top 3 leaders. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program.