Air Liquide: Changes in the management team from January 1, 2010

12-03-2009: The composition and responsibilities within the Air Liquide management team will be modified from January 1, 2010, Klaus Schmieder, Senior Executive Vice-President of Air Liquide, having decided to retire effective end of 2009.

The General Management of Air Liquide will be comprised of Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO, together with Pierre Dufour, Senior Executive Vice-President, and Jean-Pierre Duprieu, Senior Vice-President, who will supervise Europe and the Healthcare activities.

Within the management team, other responsibilities will now be as follows:

- François Darchis*, Senior Vice-President, Engineering and Construction, Research and Technology, and also supervising the Industrial Merchant, Electronics and Healthcare World Business Lines;

- Jean-Marc de Royere*, Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific;

- Fabienne Lecorvaisier*, Group Vice-President, Finance and Operations Control;

- Ron LaBarre*, Group Vice-President, Large Industries World Business Line;

- Guy Salzgeber*, Vice-President, Northern and Central Europe;

- Augustin de Roubin*, Vice-President, Southern and Eastern Europe (including France), and Welding and Diving activities;

- Michael J. Graff*, Vice-President, Americas, also supervising Safety and Industrial Systems;

- Mok Kwong Weng*, Vice-President, North-East Asia.

In addition, the following appointments will be effective January 1, 2010:

- Pascal Vinet, Vice-President, Healthcare World Business Line and Operations;

- François Abrial, Vice-President Human Resources, Air Liquide Group.

The new strengthened management team aims to continue the worldwide development strategy of the Air Liquide Group, drawing notably on its ALMA strategic program, and to allow it to tackle the new challenges which lie ahead.

*members of the Executive Committee of the Group