Vanacker joins BMS Executive Committee to lead marketing and innovation

Bayer MaterialScience has taken positive action to strengthen its marketing and innovation activities with the appointment of Peter Vanacker to the Executive Committee position of Head of Industrial Marketing and Innovation. Vanacker, previously Head of Polyurethanes Business Unit, starts his new role with immediate effect.

Vanacker will take on the responsibility of driving industrial marketing and innovation – both key elements of BMS’s growth strategy. His responsibilities will also include development business activities in Functional Films and Carbon Nanotubes.

“I cannot stress enough how important industrial marketing is to our future growth,” said Patrick Thomas, CEO of BMS. “The markets in which we operate are changing faster today than at any time in the past, and we must ensure we develop a strong feeling for market trends through our activities in this field.”

Dr. Joachim Wolff succeeds Vanacker as Head of the Polyurethanes Business Unit, while Daniel Meyer joins the Executive Committee and succeeds Wolff as Head of the Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties Business Unit. Meyer was previously Head of Marketing and Business Development within this business unit in the Asia Pacific Region. Both of these changes take immediate effect.

BMS has also taken this opportunity to incorporate key functional responsibilities within the Executive Committee. Michael Bernhardt, Wolfgang Miebach and Richard Northcote have joined the Executive Committee on 1 July 2011 in their positions as Heads of Human Resources, Corporate Development and Communications and Public Affairs, respectively.

“Their contribution to the leadership of the company will be invaluable as we continue on a strategy of growth and market extension,” added Thomas.