Roberto Gualdoni, who has led Styrolution GmbH since it was established in 2011, is stepping down from that role, the Frankfurt, Germany-based firm announced Dec. 1.
He will be replaced, effective Jan. 1, by Kevin McQuade, who has been a member of the company's management board and served in several roles.
Styrolution said Gualdoni had elected to leave the company due to personal reasons.
“I would like to thank Roberto for his outstanding track record as CEO of Styrolution,” Chairman Andy Currie said in a news release. “Through his vision, strong leadership and personal determination, he and the team succeeded in setting up a new, dynamic market leader. I am very pleased that, with Kevin, we have a recognized leader with extensive experience in styrenics who will continue the strategic development of the company.”
McQuade, 58, currently is president of the company's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations. Previously he headed the Americas unit.
McQuade's resume includes stints at Mobil Chemical Co., BASF SE and Ineos Group Ltd. He has chemical engineering degrees from the Cooper Union and the University of Delaware and an MBA from New York University.
“I am thrilled to take the role as Styrolution's CEO,” McQuade said in a news release. “We have been a strong team leading Styrolution's business. We will continue Styrolution's success story and will drive the implementation of our Triple Shift growth strategy with utmost determination. It's my personal ambition to make the shifts towards higher-growth industries, towards a portfolio focused on styrenic specialties and ABS Standard, as well as towards a stronger footprint in emerging markets a reality.”
Styrolution makes styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS and specialty styrenic resins. The company employs 3,200 at 17 plants in 10 countries.