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[August 2006]
Patrick Thomas Named New Management Board Chairman of Bayer MaterialScience
Patrick Thomas has been named the new Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer MaterialScience AG (Leverkusen, Germany). He succeeds Dr Hagen Noerenberg who will retire from active service on 31 December 2006 after 30 years with the Bayer Group. Bayer AG Management Board Chairman Werner Wenning commented: "Given his more than 25 years’ international experience in the chemical industry, we are convinced of Patrick Thomas’ ability to drive forward our business with high-tech polymer materials".Patrick Thomas was born in Portsmouth in England and gained an engineering degree from Oxford University in 1979. The same year he began his career with ICI. Until 1989 he held a number of positions for ICI Pharmaceuticals and Agrochemicals (which became Zeneca in 1993) in the UK. In 1989 he transferred to Belgium to join ICI Polyurethanes, undertaking various management assignments until in 1993 he was named Regional Director for Europe, Africa & Middle East. Four years later he was appointed global CEO.
In 1999 he joined US chemicals company Huntsman as President of the Polyurethanes, Performance and Advanced Materials Divisions, also based in Belgium. In 2003 he was named Corporate Executive Vice President of Huntsman Matlin Patterson. Since 2005 he has been working as a management consultant for private-equity companies in the industry sector.
"I’m looking forward to working in a company with such a rich tradition as Bayer," said Mr Thomas, "and I’m very optimistic about the future of Bayer MaterialScience."
ENDS