Key appointments for Eastman Chemical Company

Eastman Chemical Company has announced two key appointments in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region: Godefroy A. Motte has been appointed President for the region and Randall W. Powell has been named Vice-President, Operations.

Godefroy A. Motte

Godefroy Motte has been named as President, EMEA, succeeding Francois Vleugels who has accepted a new position with the company in the USA. Previously, Mr. Motte was Vice-President Operations EMEA. In this post, he was involved in several major acquisitions to grow the business in the region.

Mr. Motte was born in Lille, France in 1958. He graduated in Lille, France in 1981 as a Chemical Engineer and obtained a Management Masters degree (DESS) from the Sorbonne in Paris. Prior to joining Eastman, he worked for Valeo in Paris.

In 1985 Mr. Motte joined Eastman as a Technical Marketing Representative for chemicals and plastics in France. Later he held positions in product management in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. In 1993, he returned to Europe, taking up the post of Regional Business Manager, based in The Netherlands.

In 1996, he relocated to San Roque, Spain and was subsequently named Managing Director of Eastman’s newly constructed PET facility at that location, overseeing its start-up in 1997. . In 1999, he returned to the Netherlands to assume the position of Vice President, Operations, EMEA.

Randall W. Powell

Dr. Randall W. Powell, succeeds Mr. Motte as Vice-President Operations, EMEA. Previously, Dr. Powell had the dual responsibility as Regional Business Director for Eastman’s fine chemicals business in EMEA and Managing Director of Peboc Division in Llangefni, Wales.

Dr. Powell graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BS degree in Chemistry from Furman University, Greenville, S.C. USA in 1974. He subsequently earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of North Carolina. In 1977, Dr. Powell joined Eastman’s Organic Chemicals Division in Kingsport, Tennessee as a Development Chemist. Advancing through various manufacturing and technology positions at the Kingsport site Dr. Powell was appointed Technology Manager for the Coatings, Inks and Resins Business Organization in 1995, with global responsibility for technology and innovation initiatives. In 1997, he relocated to the UK, to assume his former post at the newly acquired Peboc Division fine chemicals site in Llangefni Wales.

Dr. Powell is a member of the American Chemical Society.