You might also like
Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) is a global additives and specialty ingredients company that focuses on sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. The company serves a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including pharmaceuticals, personal care, coatings, construction, and energy. Ashland's portfolio includes innovative solutions such as controlled release polymers, biofunctionals, rheology modifiers, and chemical intermediates, catering to customers in over 100 countries worldwide.
-
Life Sciences - Develops and supplies controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders for pharmaceuticals, nutrition, agricultural chemicals, and diagnostic films.
- Includes fine chemicals and products for food, beverage, and industrial manufacturers.
-
Specialty Additives - Provides rheology modifiers, foam control agents, surfactants, wetting agents, and advanced ceramics for architectural coatings, construction, energy, automotive, and industrial markets. Enhances functional outcomes such as water retention, workability, and adhesive strength.
-
Personal Care - Offers biofunctionals, microbial protectants, and high-performance ingredients for skin care, sun care, oral care, hair care, and household solutions. Products are natural, biodegradable, and designed to protect, renew, and revitalize skin and hair.
-
Intermediates - Produces 1,4 butanediol (BDO) and related derivatives used in engineering polymers, polyurethanes, and specialty process solvents. Supplies raw materials to other segments.
| Name | Position | External Roles | Short Bio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Guillermo Novo ExecutiveBoard | Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer | Director at PPG Industries (Chair of Audit Committee, Member of Human Capital Management and Compensation Committee) | Over 30 years of leadership experience in specialty materials and chemicals industries. CEO since December 2019 and Chair since May 2019. | View Report → |
Alessandra Faccin Assis Executive | Senior Vice President and General Manager, Life Sciences and Intermediates | None | Joined Ashland in June 2024. Previously held leadership roles at Sealed Air Corporation and Dow Chemical. | |
Dago Caceres Executive | Senior Vice President and General Manager, Specialty Additives | None | Over 25 years of experience in specialty chemicals. Joined Ashland in April 2024 after leadership roles at IFF Pharma Solutions and DuPont. | |
Eileen Drury Executive | Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer | None | Over 12 years at Ashland, with roles in HR leadership. Promoted to Chief Human Resources Officer in November 2021. | |
J. Kevin Willis Executive | Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | None | Oversees Ashland's financial operations. Active in signing financial disclosures, including Sarbanes-Oxley certifications. | |
James P. Minicucci Executive | Senior Vice President and General Manager, Personal Care | None | Joined Ashland in April 2024. Previously held leadership roles at MERCK KGaA and Versum Materials. | |
Karl Bostaph Executive | Senior Vice President, Operations | None | Over 37 years in the chemicals industry. Promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations in August 2023. | |
Osama M. Musa Executive | Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer | None | Chief Technology Officer since 2016. Expanded R&D capabilities at Ashland's Center of Excellence in Mullingar, Ireland. | |
Robin E. Lampkin Executive | Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary | None | Joined Ashland in 1991. Held various legal and compliance roles before becoming General Counsel in August 2023. | |
Ashish K. Kulkarni Board | Independent Director | CEO of Kebotix, Inc. | CEO of Kebotix, a startup focused on AI for material commercialization. Brings expertise in innovation, R&D, and advanced technologies. | |
Jerome A. Peribere Board | Independent Director | Director at Xylem Inc. (Chair of Nominating and Governance Committee) | Former CEO of Sealed Air Corporation. Brings expertise in finance, international operations, and corporate governance. | |
Sergio Pedreiro Board | Independent Director | Director at Eve Holding Inc. (Chair of Audit Committee), Director at Grupo Algar | Former COO of Revlon and CEO of Estre Ambiental. Recognized as an audit committee financial expert under SEC rules. | |
Susan L. Main Board | Independent Director | Director at Allegion PLC (Chair of Audit and Finance Committee) | Former CFO of Teledyne Technologies. Brings expertise in finance, accounting, and corporate governance. | |
Suzan F. Harrison Board | Independent Director | Director at Archer-Daniels-Midland (Chair of Sustainability and Technology Committee), Director at Smurfit Westrock (Audit and Governance Committees) | Former President of Global Oral Care at Colgate-Palmolive. Brings expertise in consumer markets, innovation, and risk management. |
-
Given the increased competition from Chinese exports, particularly impacting your HEC products in regions like the Middle East and Africa, what steps are you taking to mitigate these pressures, and do you expect the situation to improve or worsen going forward?
-
With the currency headwinds you've indicated, specifically concerning the euro, Chinese yuan, and Brazilian real potentially affecting EBITDA by $7 million to $8 million if these currencies remain weak, how are you planning to address these challenges in the upcoming quarters?
-
Considering the $5 million in unanticipated costs from maintenance turnarounds due to lower absorption and higher expenses, can you elaborate on your strategy to recover these costs throughout the fiscal year and the impact on your segments, particularly Life Sciences and Personal Care?
-
Given that organic volumes were down 1% in Q1, do you anticipate positive organic volume growth for the rest of the year, or is your guidance based on a flat trajectory, especially in light of regional demand variations and uncertainties in markets like Europe and China?
-
In light of the soft demand and overcapacity in China leading to increased competition affecting both volume and pricing in your Specialty Additives segment, how do you plan to navigate these challenges to maintain margins and what specific mitigation steps are you taking in local operations?
Notable M&A activity and strategic investments in the past 3 years.
| Company | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
Schülke & Mayr GmbH Personal Care Business | 2021 | Ashland Global Holdings Inc. completed the acquisition of the personal care business from Schülke & Mayr GmbH for an all-cash price of €262.5 million (approximately $312 million) on April 30, 2021, funded through bank financing and available cash. The deal strategically expands Ashland's Personal Care and Household segment by enhancing its specialty additives, biotechnology expertise, and ESG focus, with significant intangible assets and goodwill included in the purchase price allocation. |