Peter Vanacker joins Treofan Group as CEO

Peter Vanacker will join Treofan Group as chief executive officer effective 1 September 2012, replacing Giovanni Canetta, Treofan’s interim CEO since April 2011. Canetta, also general manager of M&C, Treofan’s largest shareholder, will become vice chairman of the advisory board of Treofan, ensuring continuity.

Fresh from a distinguished career at Bayer, Peter Vanacker brings to Treofan a deep knowledge of the chemical industry and broad experience at senior management level in a global blue-chip company. He has been a member of Bayer MaterialScience’s executive committee since 2003. Most recently, he served as executive VP and chief marketing and innovation officer at Bayer MaterialScience. 

Before that, he led Bayer’s polyurethanes business unit as general manager and was head of EMEA at Bayer Polymers, head of polymer solutions Americas at Bayer Corp (USA) and regional director of polyurethanes South America in Brazil.

‘I am delighted to join Treofan at this exciting time, because I believe that many things that are important to me can be implemented at Treofan: developing new solutions through the eyes of our customers, working together with a real team focused on mutual success, and launching products in line with the corporate philosophy of sustainability,’ said Peter Vanacker. ‘Everything I’ve heard about the Treofan Group fills me with great respect for what has been achieved. I’m eager to get to know the entire team personally and start tackling the tasks that lie ahead.’

Peter Vanacker holds a Master of Science degree in polymer engineering from University IHR-CTL Gent, Belgium. He has dual German and Belgian nationality and is fluent in five languages.

Treofan’s shareholders, among them M&C, Goldman Sachs and EBF & Associates, see the recruitment of Peter Vanacker as an important step in further developing the company.

‘We are very pleased with Peter’s arrival,’ said Giovanni Canetta of M&C. ‘Treofan has made significant progress over the past 15 months in defining strategy and addressing operational issues. Now Peter Vanacker brings exactly the right qualities to drive and implement this strategy with the support of the shareholders, while reinforcing the management team and the organization at large.’

‘We thank Giovanni for his work at Treofan and for the successful recruitment of Peter,’ added Stefan Pfander, chairman of Treofan’s advisory board. ‘I am sure that Treofan will benefit enormously from Peter’s broad experience. With the support of Giovanni and myself, he will lead the organization to a new level.’

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