In his current role for Minneapolis-based NatureWorks, Snehal Desai leads strategic development and global execution of the marketing, sales and applications development teams for the packaging, fibers and emerging-application business segments. The Cargill Inc. subsidiary (www.natureworksllc.com) has been producing corn-based polylactide resin at a 300 million-pound-capacity plant in Blair, Neb., since 2002, but only in the past year have spikes in petroleum-based resin prices made the renewable-resource-based biopolymer more competitive.
Previously with Dow Chemical Co., Desai since 1987 held various posts in sales, marketing, business development and technical service in the specialty chemicals and plastics businesses. In 1999 he became global director of Dow´s eBusiness Group, responsible for validating, developing and launching new Internet-enabled businesses. In January 2002, Dow expanded his duties to include serving as platform director in the firm´s new business growth area. He also served as marketing vice president for Neolytica, a Web-enabled company launched through Dow´s e-business development efforts.
Desai earned bachelor´s degrees in both chemistry and chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and a master´s degree in management from Northwestern University. He also is a founding member and chairman of the board of the Wellesley, Mass.-based Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals Inc.