Air Products Appoints Eduardo F. Menezes as CEO, Announces Leadership Changes

Air Products (NYSE: APD) has announced that Eduardo F. Menezes will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective February 7, 2025. He will succeed Seifollah (“Seifi”) Ghasemi, who is departing the company after more than a decade of service. Menezes will also join the company’s Board of Directors.

In addition to this leadership transition, the Board has named Wayne T. Smith as Chairman and Dennis H. Reilley as Vice Chairman. They, along with the full Board, are expected to work closely with Menezes and Air Products’ leadership team to advance the company’s strategic initiatives.

Menezes brings a wealth of international experience across key sectors of the industrial gases industry, including on-site, merchant liquid, packaged gases, and hydrogen. Prior to joining Air Products, he served as Executive Vice President (EVP) of Linde plc for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, overseeing operations in more than 40 countries with annual sales exceeding $8 billion and a workforce of 18,000 employees. His career also includes a tenure at Praxair, where he held multiple senior leadership roles, including EVP responsible for North America, as well as general management and business development positions in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, and Brazil.

Menezes holds an M.B.A. from the State University of New York and a chemical engineering degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Wayne T. Smith, who has served as a director of Air Products since 2021, has been appointed Chairman of the Board. He brings over 35 years of senior management experience in the chemicals industry, with extensive expertise in industrial gases and operations. Smith previously served as Chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation from 2015 to 2021 and was a member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE from 2012 to 2021, overseeing global business portfolios worth over $25 billion in revenue.

Before joining BASF, Smith held leadership roles at W.R. Grace and Company, where he led the global strategy and growth of the Specialty Construction Chemicals unit. His earlier career includes positions of increasing responsibility at The BOC Group, culminating in his role as Vice President and General Manager of the company’s Packaged Products business.

Smith currently serves as a board director for ONEOK, Inc. and previously held a board position at Inter Pipeline Ltd. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dennis H. Reilley has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Board. His extensive leadership background includes serving as Chairman, President, and CEO of Praxair, Inc. from 2000 until his retirement in 2007. Before that, he held senior executive roles at E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, including positions such as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He also led various divisions within DuPont, including its Lycra, specialty chemicals, and titanium dioxide businesses.

Reilley has previously served as Chairman of the Boards of Marathon Oil Corporation and Covidien. His board experience extends to DuPont de Nemours, Inc., CSX Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, H.J. Heinz & Co., and Entergy Corporation.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Oklahoma State University.

Have you read?
Countries: Powerful Passports.
Countries: Richest.
Countries: Poorest.
Countries: Happiest.
Countries: Life Expectancy.