Changes in the Management Team from January 1, 2010
The composition and responsibilities within the Air Liquide management team
will be modified from January 1, 2010, Klaus Schmieder, Senior Executive Vice-
President of Air Liquide, having decided to retire effective end of 2009.
The General Management of Air Liquide will be comprised of Benoît Potier,
Chairman and CEO, together with Pierre Dufour, Senior Executive Vice-President,
and Jean-Pierre Duprieu, Senior Vice-President, who will supervise Europe and the
Healthcare activities.
Within the management team, other responsibilities will now be as follows:
- François Darchis*, Senior Vice-President, Engineering and Construction,
Research and Technology, and also supervising the Industrial Merchant, Electronics
and Healthcare World Business Lines;
- Jean-Marc de Royere*, Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific;
- Fabienne Lecorvaisier*, Group Vice-President, Finance and Operations Control;
- Ron LaBarre*, Group Vice-President, Large Industries World Business Line;
- Guy Salzgeber*, Vice-President, Northern and Central Europe;
- Augustin de Roubin*, Vice-President, Southern and Eastern Europe (including
France), and Welding and Diving activities;
- Michael J. Graff*, Vice-President, Americas, also supervising Safety and Industrial
Systems;
- Mok Kwong Weng*, Vice-President, North-East Asia.
In addition, the following appointments will be effective January 1, 2010:
- Pascal Vinet, Vice-President, Healthcare World Business Line and
Operations;
- François Abrial, Vice-President Human Resources, Air Liquide Group.
The new strengthened management team aims to continue the worldwide
development strategy of the Air Liquide Group, drawing notably on its ALMA
strategic program, and to allow it to tackle the new challenges which lie ahead.
Klaus Schmieder joined the Air Liquide Group in 2004, following the acquisition of
certain Messer assets, as Senior Executive Vice-President, member of the
Management Board and of the Executive Committee. In particular, he supervised the
Industrial Merchant and the Healthcare World Business Lines, Europe, and the
functions of Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs. Klaus Schmieder has greatly
contributed to the development of Air Liquide in Europe and brought to the Group his
considerable expertise in finance, legal affairs and in the Group's markets.
Jean-Pierre Duprieu, 57 years old, joined Air Liquide in 1976: he has spent his
entire career with the Group, holding various commercial, operational and strategic
positions. He has an in-depth knowledge of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia,
which he has supervised. Since 2005, Jean-Pierre Duprieu has been based in
Tokyo in charge of the Asia-Pacific zone and the Electronics World Business
Line. Jean-Pierre Duprieu has been a member of the Group's Executive
Committee since 2000.
Pascal Vinet, 47 years old, of French nationality, joined Air Liquide in 1986. He has
notably been responsible for the Group's Australian subsidiary, Corporate R&D
and the Industrial Merchant activity in the United States. Since 2007, he has
been Group Vice-President of Strategic Control and Secretary of the Executive
Committee.
François Abrial, 47 years old, of French nationality, has been with the Air Liquide
Group since 1996; he has notably held the role of HR Deputy Director, Air Liquide
Group. He has supervised the Medical Gases and Medical Equipment
businesses of the Healthcare World Business Line, before becoming Vice-
President of Africa and the Middle East in 2007.
