Kurt Bock New President of Cefic

Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, has been elected, with direct effect, as president of Cefic (European Chemical Industry Council) at the general meeting in London, UK. Bock takes over the position from Giorgio Squinzi, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Mapei Group, who steps down after his two-year tenure.
Bock leads Cefic as the chemical industry’s growth in emerging regions is outpacing industrialised countries in chemicals output. Although the chemical industry is still growing in the European Union, growth rates in other regions are higher.

He was also appointed president of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA). Succeeding Andrew Liveris, Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, Bock will officially begin in this post on January 1, 2013.

Kurt Bock was born in Rahden, Eastern Westphalia, Germany, in 1958. From 1977 he studied business administration at the Universities of Münster and Cologne, Germany, as well as at Pennsylvania State University, USA. He received his diploma in 1982 from the University of Cologne. In 1985, he earned his doctorate in economics from the University of Bonn, Germany.

Bock joined the Finance Division of BASF Aktiengesellschaft in 1985 and was promoted to Staff to Chief Financial Officer in 1987. In 1991, he became Director of Technology, Planning and Controlling, Engineering Plastics, before moving to Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany, as Senior Vice President Finance in 1992. He spent two years as Managing Director at Robert Bosch Ltda., in Campinas, Brazil, and another two years as CFO at BASF Corporation, New Jersey, USA. He returned to Germany in 2000 as President Logistics & Information Services, BASF Aktiengesellschaft. He has been a member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Financial Officer of BASF Aktiengesellschaft since 2003 and is currently Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.