ADRIAN, MI – Dr. Ian R. Moore, Wacker Chemical Corp. Vice President-Division Silicones, assumed responsibility for the division’s North and Central America operations effective July 1, 2017. He succeeds Axel Schmidt who is returning to the company’s Munich headquarters office.

David Wilhoit, Wacker Chemical Corp. President and CEO, announced that Moore will have overall leadership and responsibility for the Division Silicones business and operations located in Adrian, Michigan; Chino, California; North Canton, Ohio; and the HDK^® pyrogenic silica plant currently under construction at WACKER’s Charleston, Tennessee, Polysilicon site. “Ian is a Ph.D. chemical engineer with more than 30 years’ experience in the chemical business, spending his entire career in the field of silicone chemistry,” Wilhoit said. “Ian’s broad technical background, combined with his extensive production experience and market knowledge will provide continuity in leadership and management direction consistent with WACKER’s long-term growth strategy.”

Moore will be responsible for directing the division’s strategic plan for its North and Central America sales and marketing, supply chain, technical services, applications testing, and WACKER’s Silicones R&D Center recently opened in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Moore began his career at Union Carbide, which later became OSi Specialties, GE and ultimately, Momentive Performance Materials. Progressing through various management positions in R&D, Engineering and Operations, he advanced to lead the global Organofunctional Silanes business for OSi Specialties in 1999. After the acquisition of OSi Specialties by GE in 2003, Moore led the global Silanes, Resins & Specialties business. After the spin off from GE to Momentive (MPM), he led the company’s business operations in Europe from 2007 to 2010. Relocating back to the United States at the end of 2010, he was responsible for MPM’s America’s Silicones business and after restructuring of MPM from regional to global business units. In 2012 he headed up the Global Additives Business. After leaving Momentive at the end of 2015, Moore was an advisor and consultant to private equity groups focused on specialty chemicals and materials businesses.