Büchele to Replace Retiring Kerminen as Kemira President, CEO

Kemira Oyj, Finland, reports that President and CEO Harri Kerminen will retire April 1, 2012, after completing 26 years with the company. Wolfgang Büchele, appointed new president and CEO effective April 1, has been a member of Kemira's Board of Directors since 2009.

"Kemira's Board of Directors started the CEO succession process this summer due to Harri Kerminen's anticipated retirement in 2013. The process was faster than expected and therefore we agreed with Harri Kerminen that he will retire earlier than planned. As a member of Kemira's pension fund, he has the right for this," said Pekka Paasikivi, chairman of the board.

Büchele brings to Kemira broad, extensive industrial knowledge combined with international experience and networking, especially in the fast developing Asian markets. He has spent most of his career, from 1993 until 2007, in BASF's Fine Chemicals organization in Europe, China, and the U.S. Since 2009 he has been member of the board and CEO of BorsodChem Zrt. in Hungary.

TAPPI
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