Air Products Appoints Rockwood Executive Seifi Ghasemi As CEO - Qucik Facts

(RTTNews) - Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (APD) has named Seifi Ghasemi as its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing John McGlade, effective July 1. Meanwhile, Ghasemi will resign from his Chief Executive post from Rockwood Holdings, Inc. (ROC), with effect from June 30, 2014. However, he will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rockwood until January 1, 2015 and continue thereafter as director.

Before joining Rockwood Holdings, Ghasemi was with GKN plc, a UK-based global industrial company where he served in various leadership positions, including Chairman and CEO of GKN Sinter Metals and as a director of the main board. He has 20 years of experience with The BOC Group, an industrial gas company now part of Linde AG, where he held various senior positions including President of BOC Gases, Americas, and as a member of the BOC Group Board of Directors.

Separately, Rockwood Holdings announced that Robert Zatta will take over as acting Chief Executive, effective July 1, in addition to his role as Chief Financial Officer. The company also named Thomas Riordan, Senior Vice President, Law & Administration and Corporate Secretary, as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer.