Dow Makes Leadership Changes

The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) has announced a new Pacific leadership team in the Asia Pacific region. Jim McIlvenny has been named senior vice president of performance products; Pat Dawson will assume the role of Asia Pacific president including India and Pakistan; and Peter Sykes will serve as president of Greater China. The announcement is effective on Jan. 1, 2010.

Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of Dow, said: “With the Rohm and Haas integration, the Asia Pacific region holds a position of even greater importance within Dow’s global landscape, accounting for 13% of our global revenue and featuring mega projects expected to significantly elevate our capability and competitiveness in the next decade. We are confident that this new leadership structure will further drive our business development in this important region.”

After leading Dow in Greater China and Asia Pacific for 6 years, Jim McIlvenny will relocate to the company’s headquarters in the US and serve as senior vice president of the performance products division. Reporting directly to Andrew Liveris, he will have responsibility and full accountability for the global business strategy and tactical decisions of this division, which includes businesses covering an extensive range of products for household, transportation, coating and personal care markets.

McIlvenny, said: “We have made a lot of progress but there is still much work to do to achieve the growth that is available to us in this fast-growing region. I am pleased to hand over to two very strong leaders and supporters of the Asia Pacific region. At the same time, I am also looking forward to my new role that involves Business leadership of many of the products that are important to Dow’s growth in the region. I will continue to be a strong supporter from my new role located in corporate headquarters.”

A 29-year veteran with Dow, Pat Dawson started his career with the company in the New York sales office and has since worked across diversified business divisions and geographies, including four years experience in Hong Kong. He assumed the role of president for the Dow polyurethanes business portfolio in 2004. As the newly appointed Asia Pacific president based in Shanghai, Dawson will have responsibility for the region. He will report to Heinz Haller, executive vice president.

Dawson, said: “I’m very motivated about my geographic role for the Asia Pacific region. I look forward to developing our business portfolio strategies and talent across the region so that we can deliver on our strategic and financial objectives. This will require intense teamwork, entrepreneurship and leadership at all levels.”

Assuming a newly created role of president of Dow Greater China, Peter Sykes will be responsible for driving relationships with government, industry and community, organizational growth and business development for this strategic region. Based in Shanghai, China, Sykes will report to Pat Dawson.

Sykes joined Dow in London in 1981, and has since held a number of financial and operations management positions around the globe. Prior to being named to the current position, Sykes served as president of the company’s global automotive systems business based in Tokyo, Japan, and from January 2008, he also assumed the position of president for Dow Japan and Korea.

Sykes, said: “Dow has experienced extraordinary development in China over the past decade. Greater China is now our second largest market in terms of sales. I’m very excited to lead one of Dow’s most energetic teams and will continue to drive technology advancement and sustainable business growth in this critical market.”