From 1st March 2023, Ib Jensen will take over from Jan Secher as new CEO of Perstorp Group.
Effective March 1st, Ib Jensen takes over from Jan Secher as Chief Executive Officer of Perstorp Group, a specialty chemicals manufacturer headquartered in Malmö (Sweden) and since last year part of PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG).
After almost ten years, Jan Secher has decided to step down as CEO of the company. He will be replaced by Jensen, a highly respected senior industry executive with a long career as CFO and extensive experience from M&A and integration of acquired companies. Secher will thereafter serve as an advisor to the new CEO and the Chairman, focusing on strategy and transferring external relationships.
“I have had the pleasure to lead Perstorp through an exciting transformation, which has formed the company to what we are today; a sustainability frontrunner with a growing share of specialty chemicals in the portfolio. This has been the crowning of my professional career and I have been surrounded with fantastic and inspiring people. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you all, externally as internally for a tremendous support,” has commented Secher. “The company is entering a new chapter in its more than 140-year history and with PCG as our owner, a series of opportunities are opening well beyond what we have seen in the past. It serves as the perfect timing to hand over the reins to a most capable leader. I am proud of the company and the extraordinary team that Ib now takes over to lead. I wish him and the team all the success in the future.”
“On behalf of PCG, I am delighted to welcome Ib, as the new CEO of Perstorp. He is an experienced executive leader, with a strong and deep understanding of the specialty chemicals industry on top of a solid track record in business optimization and financial management. He plays a key leadership role in the integration of Perstorp into the PCG family, while ensuring that Perstorp’s business is uninterrupted. His insights, knowledge and leadership will be invaluable as we work towards unlocking the synergies between Perstorp and PCG, in bringing the company through its next phase. We look forward to working with him,” has declared Mohd Yusri Mohamed Yusof, the managing director of PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad.
Jensen – who has also been CFO of Perstorp for the past year and will be replaced by the current deputy CFO Monica Jönsson – has been considered the most qualified candidate based on his knowledge of the company, long term experience of the specialty chemicals industry and high level of appreciation in both Perstorp as well as in PCG.
“I also would like to put on record my appreciation and gratitude to Jan for his contribution for the past nine years. As the CEO, he led the company through challenging times, which required innovative solutions and decisions and has been instrumental to Perstorp’s achievements and growth in the specialty business. More importantly, he helped to steer the company to play a pioneering role in sustainability particularly in the development of pro-environment solutions for its customers. I am confident that Perstorp will continue to benefit from the foundation that he has built,” has also added Yusof.
“It is an honour to take over as CEO from Jan Secher and I look forward to lead Perstorp in this new exciting phase. With PCG as the new owners, their commitment and the support from the strong Executive Leadership Team, I feel confident about a successful time ahead of us,” has concluded Jensen.