Bob Patel is the former Chief Executive Officer of W.R. Grace and LyondellBasell, two major global chemical companies. He has 35 years of industry experience in manufacturing, commercial, and management roles, as well as in the global commodity markets. With experience running an NYSE-listed company and leading large-scale global transformations, Mr. Patel brings executive leadership skills, public company board experience, capital markets and financial expertise, extensive Middle East joint venture experience, and safety expertise. He most recently served as President of Standard Industries, a global industrial company with an array of holdings, technologies, and investments. He was previously CEO of W.R. Grace, which was acquired by Standard Industries. Previously he held leadership positions at LyondellBasell, one of the largest chemicals, plastics, and refining companies in the world. During his 12-year tenure at LyondellBasell, including seven as CEO with a track record of disciplined capital allocation, Mr. Patel built new world-scale production facilities, expanded its market presence in Asia, and made key strategic acquisitions. Under Mr. Patel’s leadership, LyondellBasell was named to Fortune Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for four consecutive years beginning in 2018. Prior to LyondellBasell, Mr. Patel held senior positions at Chevron and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. He has served on the Board of Directors of Halliburton since 2021. Mr. Patel earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and holds a Master of Business Administration from Temple University.
Alfred Stern has been Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of the OMV Group since 2021. OMV, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, is the largest industrial company in Austria with a global footprint. Under Mr. Stern’s vision and leadership, OMV is transitioning to become an integrated sustainable chemicals, fuels and energy company, with a focus on innovative circular economy solutions. He is also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of OMV Petrom, a listed energy company in Bucharest, Romania. With in-depth international multi-industry experience spanning over three decades, Mr. Stern has led profound business efforts and transformations in the energy and chemical industries in Europe, the U.S., Asia and the Middle East. In particular, he has successfully initiated and led significant international, multi-billion-dollar growth projects, including organic and inorganic investments, and joint ventures. Prior to OMV, Mr. Stern was CEO of Borealis, a leading provider of advanced and sustainable plastics and chemicals solutions. During his 14-year tenure at Borealis, he held various executive positions and was instrumental in growing the joint venture Borouge in the Middle East ninefold. He started his career at DuPont de Nemours, accumulating extensive global experience in R&D, sales and marketing, operations and business management. Mr. Stern holds a PhD in Material Science and a Master’s Degree in Polymer Engineering and Science, both from the University of Leoben in Austria. He has been awarded with the H.F. Mark Medal, a DuPont Innovation Award, and a Prize of Honor from the Austrian Ministry of Science and Research.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets and generating a cleaner future. The Company supplies essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, medical and food. As the leading global supplier of hydrogen, Air Products also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest clean hydrogen projects, supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors. Through its sale of equipment businesses, the Company also provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally.
