Cognis Expands Management Board

MONHEIM, GERMANYThe Supervisory Board of global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has appointed Paul Allen (executive vice president, Functional Products), Stephane Baseden (executive vice president, Nutrition & Health) and Richard Ridinger (executive vice president, Care Chemicals) to the Management Board. This step has been taken with the aim to further support its strategy of focusing on its customers demands and making its innovation-driven markets even stronger.

Paul Allen (54) has been head of Cognis Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Functional Products since Jan. 2006, and president of Cognis Corporation in the United States since Feb. 2004. After studying foreign languages and business studies at the University of Bath, England, and the Freie Universität in Berlin, Germany, Allen went on to study at the London Institute of Purchasing and Supply. This was followed by positions at several international companies before becoming European business manager of Diamond Shamrock Process Chemicals in 1985. After this company was acquired by Henkel, Allen took over as head of Henkel Canada in 1988. From 1991, he worked at Henkel Corporation (later Cognis Corporation) in the United States and was employed in a variety of posts. Allen was in charge of the Nutrition & Health SBU from 2002 to Oct. 2005.

Stephane Baseden (47) has been responsible for the SBU Nutrition & Health since Nov. 2005. Baseden holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Surrey, England, and an M.B.A. from ISSEC, France. Prior to joining Cognis as managing director France in 2003a position he still holds todayhe had over 20 years experience of management positions in a variety of functions and locations within the Unilever group, where his last position was head of DiverseyLever Asia-Pacific. In 2004, Baseden took over the responsibility for Nutrition & Health Europe next to his role in France.

Richard Ridinger (48) has been in charge of the SBU Care Chemicals since 2001. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Karlsruhe. Ridinger started as a scientific employee in the sector of process technology at Henkel Research and Technology in Feb. 1986. Two years later, he was production engineer in the fatty alcohol production. In 1992, he was promoted to production manager for the Fatty Chemical Derivatives production and, from 1995 onward, additionally for the section Organic Products. He took over the management of the newly grounded organization for the production of derivatives in Düsseldorf in 1997. He transferred to the Care Chemicals business in 1999 as the Global Business Director for Skin Care.

About Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural-source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and health-care markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants and textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The company holds a 50% stake in the joint venture Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of oleochemicals.
Cognis is indirectly owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2005, Cognis recorded sales of 3.18 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and exceptional items) of 356 million euros.