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Kenya: The Kenyan government has appointed William Lay as the new chairman of the East Africa Portland Cement Company (EAPCC), replacing Mark ole Karbolo. Making the announcement, Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Principal Secretary Wilson Songa said that the move would streamline operations at the company and mark a strategic shift in the operations of the cement manufacturer.

The move follows on-going shareholder conflict over the EAPCC between the Kenyan government and French multinational cement producer Lafarge.

Ukraine: Yugtsement company has dismissed its commercial director Tetiana Kazakevych. She was dismissed in compliance with the resignation statement that she submitted previously, according to the Ukranian News Agency. She had occupied the positions since 2001. The company is part of Dyckerhoff Ukraine, which runs three cement plants in the country.

US: The Board of Directors of National Cement Company, a subsidiary of Vicat Group, has elected James E Rotch as Chairman of the Board of National Cement Company. Rotch will continue in the practice of corporate law with the firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, a regional law firm with offices throughout the Southeast, including Birmingham, Alabama, in addition to his duties as Chairman of the Board.

Romania: The Romanian unit of Swiss cement producer Holcim has announced that Francois Petry will be appointed as its director general as of 1 February 2014. Currently the general manager for aggregates at Holcim France, he joined the Swiss firm in 2008. He will replace Daniel Bach.

Bach has recently been appointed Area Manager for South East Asia and will be in charge of the Holcim subsidiaries from Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, according to a statement from Holcim Romania.

"Romania is one of the most important markets of Holcim Group in Europe, with significant growth potential," said Petry. "It's not going to be an easy job, as the economy is still recovering from the global crisis, but I know that we have here all that is needed to continue on the same successful path: talented and devoted people as well as modern and efficient production facilities."

Holcim Romania operates two integrated cement plants.

Russia: Yuri Kozlovsky has been appointed as Managing Director of Krasnoyarsk Cement plant, part of the Sibirsky Cement Holding group. Kozlovsky previously served as the technical director for the plant. He started his career in 1987 at the Topkinsky cement plant, graduated from the Belgorod Technological Institute of Building Materials in 1993 and returned to Topkinsky until 2011.