Heuser to lead BASF China and Asia Pacific operations

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany and HONG KONG – Effective April 1, 2013, Dr. Albert Heuser will assume the responsibility for BASF’s Market & Business Development and Operations in Greater China as well as for all functional units in Asia Pacific. As president Greater China and Functions Asia Pacific, he will be based in Shanghai. Dr Heuser’s current post is president, Market & Business Development Asia Pacific.

This organizational change underlines the strategic importance of the Chinese market for BASF. Greater China is the chemical giant’s third-largest market worldwide with sales of €6.7 billion in 2012 and more than 8,400 employees. 

Effective May 1, 2013, Gops Pillay, senior vice president, Dispersions & Pigments Asia Pacific, will assume the responsibility for all regional business units in Asia Pacific as well as for all countries in Asia Pacific outside of China. As president, South & East Asia, ASEAN, and Australia/New Zealand, he will be based in Hong Kong. This new set-up will reduce organizational complexity as well as increase market and customer focus in the Asia Pacific markets.

Heuser and Pillay will both report to Dr. 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.”

BASF also announced that on May 1, 2013, Saori Dubourg, president Regional Functions and Country Management Asia Pacific, will join the Nutrition & Health division, based in Lampertheim, Germany. Effective June 1, 2013, she will assume the responsibility for the division. Walter Dissinger, president, Nutrition & Health, will leave the company at his own request effective May 31, 2013.