Dr. Heinz Rzehak Becomes New Division Head of Degussa AG

29-Dec-2004

As of January 1, 2005, Dr. Heinz Rzehak (56) will take over as Head of the Performance Materials Division of Degussa AG, succeeding Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Kollmeier (62), who is retiring at the end of this year. With its 5,333 employees, Degussa's Performance Materials Division generated sales of 1,852 million euros in fiscal 2003. Prof. Utz-Hellmuth Felcht, Management Board Chairman of Degussa AG, comments: "Hans-Joachim Kollmeier has contributed substantially to the success of our company. With his outstanding integrity and enthusiastic commitment to responsible business management he has set an example for our executives. I wish to thank him personally, also on behalf of Degussa, for his many years of dedicated work, and wish him all the best for the next phase of his life. At the same time I wish Heinz Rzehak much success in his new position. Heinz Rzehak is an excellent manager, with many years of experience of Degussa." Rzehak, who holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the Technical University of Aachen in Rhineland-Westphalia, joined Degussa in 1978, where he worked in several leading positions in Germany, Austria and the USA. In the new Degussa he first headed the Aerosil & silanes Business Unit. Rzehak later became Head of the Care Specialties Business Unit, and was appointed Member of the Board of Management of Goldschmidt AG. He has been the Management Board Chairman of RÜTGERS AG since April 2003. Kollmeier began his career in 1971 in the Research and Development division of Th. Goldschmidt AG, after studying at the Technical Universities of Stuttgart and Munich. His work in the special area of silicone chemistry contributed substantially to the success of the company. In 1987 Kollmeier was appointed to the Management Board of Th. Goldschmidt AG, to become its Chairman in 1992. He has in addition been Head of the Performance Materials Division since Degussa AG was founded in February 2001. In 1998 Kollmeier was appointed an honorary professor of the Universität Duisburg-Essen.

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