CHARLOTTE, NC—BASF has announced the appointment of Gerry Podesta as the senior vice president for the dispersions and pigments business in North America effective Nov. 1. Podesta succeeds Derek Fairclough, who will lead BASF’s Environmental, Health, Safety & Security organization, also effective Nov. 1.
Most recently, Podesta served as the senior vice president for BASF’s performance materials business in North America since July 1, 2009. He served in a prior role as group vice president for the performance chemicals business of BASF between 2003 and 2009.
Podesta joined BASF in 2003, after 20 years with General Electric, where he was vice president and general manager, GE Plastics Americas. Podesta holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts.