Germany: INFORM has appointed four new co-chief executive officers (CEO) alongside Adrian Weiler, the company’s CEO since 1986, who will continue in his leadership role. Andreas Meyer, Matthias Berlit, Peter Frerichs and Jörg Herbers all assumed their new roles at the start of 2021. The four new executives hold over 75 years in leading positions at the company. Their appointments are intended to hasten the company’s development.

INFORM is a provider of artificial intelligence (AI) driven optimisation software for digital decision making and agile operations that was founded in 1969. In the construction materials industry is has a particular focus on improving supply chains and logistics. The company has its is headquarters in Aachen, Germany with a North American regional office in Atlanta, Georgia in the US and an Australian office in Sydney.

Egypt: Cement Engineering and consultancy company ASEC has appointed Ashraf El-Kahky as its managing director. It follows the retirement of Khaled El-Sebaie, who has been in post for eight years. El-Sebaie will continue to work for the company as a technical consultant.

El-Kahky joined ASEC Group as the Group Chief Financial Officer in September 2019. He brings over 30 years of experience from roles in financial management, risk management, strategic planning and restructuring, having previously held leading roles in several national and multinational organisations.

US: Kevin R Peterson is to retire from Vortex Global in late January 2021. During his 25 years with Vortex, he has held many key positions including Director of Marketing, Special Projects Director, Regional Sales Manager and Director of Business Development.

Peterson’s involvement in the dry bulk industry includes membership in the International Association of Operative Millers, International Milling Education Foundation, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, and the Industrial Minerals Association of North America. He was elected an Emeritus Member of the International Association of Operative Millers, was a past Advisory Board Member of the Powder & Bulk Solids Expo, and served on the board of directors of the Industrial Minerals Association of North America. Peterson received the Outstanding Service Award from Kansas State University’s Department of Grain Science and Industry. He was also a contributor to the Dust Control Handbook for Industrial Minerals Mining and Processing published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

UK: The World Cement Association has appointed Roland van Wijnen, the chief executive officer (CEO) of PPC, and Mahendra Singhi, the managing director and CEO of Dalmia Cement, as directors. The appointments were agreed in a vote at the WCA General Assembly Meeting in December 2020.

Singhi has worked in India’s cement sector for over 40 years. He leads Dalmia Cement (Bharat), a large Indian cement producer recognised as having one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world.
Van Wijnen brings more than 20 years of international CEO and consulting experience encompassing operations management, strategy planning and execution, business process re-engineering and people management and development. Prior to his role as CEO at PPC, a large African cement producer, he worked at LafargeHolcim for 17 years, during which time he held various senior leadership roles across the group.