New Rhodia CEO named

Following the company’s friendly acquisition by Belgium-based chemical companySolvay, the functions of chairman and CEO at Rhodia have been separated. Gilles Auffret has been appointed CEO of Rhodia and a member of Solvay’s executive committee. Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, deputy CEO of Solvay, remains chairman of Rhodia.

Gilles Auffret, 64, a graduate of France’s Ecole Polytechnique and ENA, began his career in 1975 as an auditor at the Government Accounting Office. In 1982, he joined French aluminium conglomerate Pechiney, where he held a number of positions before being appointed sales director for the company’s Aluminum Metals Department. In 1999, he joined Rhodia as deputy president and president of the Polyamide Division. Since 2001, he has served as chief operating officer and one of the four members of Rhodia’s executive committee.