Ashland announced that James Minicucci will join Ashland’s executive team as senior vice president of strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and portfolio management. Minicucci will report to Guillermo Novo, chair and CEO.

Most recently, Minicucci served as the senior vice president, global specialty gases, MERCK KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Prior to that he led businesses at Versum Materials, and corporate strategy and M&A at Air Products. Earlier in his career he was a leader in the chemicals and industrial practice at Marakon Associates, (A Charles River Associates Co.), Rohm and Haas, and The Gillette Company.

“Jim is an experienced global business leader with a strong record for delivering top and bottom-line results. His commercial and operational acumen extends beyond running businesses and includes a strong background in corporate and business strategies as well as mergers and acquisitions,” said Novo. “His international experience, especially in Asia as a resident of Taiwan and South Korea for the last seven years, will be of great value as we invest to expand our business globally.”

Minicucci is a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering.

Learn more at www.ashland.com.