28 June 2021 – The ISOPA General Assembly has elected Christopher Metz, Vice-President of Business Management Isocyanates at BASF, as the new President of ISOPA. Mr Metz was previously Vice-President of ISOPA and succeeds Herman Motmans, Sr. Product Director Dow Polyurethane. The ISOPA General Assembly confirmed Erik Vangronsveld, Global Materials & Industry Sustainability Director at Huntsman, as the new Vice-President of ISOPA to succeed Mr. Metz in this role.
With the election of the new leadership, ISOPA stands ready to address the important legislative and regulatory developments the polyurethanes industry must navigate. The European Green Deal and the EU’s ambitious Chemical Strategy for Sustainability are a real opportunity to promote sustainable polyurethanes solutions but also come with challenges for the industry. At the same time, ISOPA and its industry partners are working hard to launch a pioneering training programme for industrial and professional users of diisocyanates that will set a new bar for health and safety.
Jörg Palmersheim, Secretary-General for ISOPA/ALIPA, welcomed the new leadership stating:
“With their outstanding expertise and professionalism, Christopher and Erik will support ISOPA in meeting today’s challenges and opportunities. I am confident that under their leadership ISOPA will continue to deliver and secure a thriving sustainable future for our industry”.
The ISOPA Secretariat and Members express their sincere gratitude to Herman Motmans for his tireless commitment and successful leadership. Mr Motmans has provided an invaluable contribution to ISOPA’s work, allowing ISOPA to lead in promoting best practices for the distribution and use of diisocyanates and polyols.
About ISOPA
ISOPA represents major European manufacturers of aromatic diisocyanates and polyols, the main raw materials used to make polyurethanes. More information on diisocyanates, their applications and ISOPA’s product stewardship initiatives can be found on our website.
Chris manages BASF’s Isocyanate, PO and Glycol business in Europe, Middle East and Africa. In this role, he is responsible for all sales, supply chain, product management and CSO related topics. Chris joined BASF in the Coatings Division North America in 2002. In 2007 he moved to the Polyurethane division in Wyandotte, MI and took over the business management for the North American region. During his time in BASF, Chris has held various positions in Product Management, Business Management and Strategic Planning with increasing scope and responsibilities for various Divisions globally. Throughout his career, Chris has spent nearly ten years in the polyurethane industry. Since 2019, he has been in his current position as Vice President at BASF and in the same year joined the Board of ISOPA. Chris holds a Masters degree in business administration from Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences and his MBA degree in International Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.