Versalis’ Ferrari appointed as Cefic president

Milan, Italy – The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) has elected Versalis CEO Daniele Ferrari as its president until 2020.

Ferrari took over the position 25 Oct, said Versalis in a statement.

With an annual turnover of €542 billion, the European chemical industry is the second largest player after China.

“Comparing to global competitors such as Asia and the US, Europe can pride itself on a knowledge specialisation generating from continuous investments in R&D and innovation,” Ferrari said upon taking over the position.

According to the Versalis boss, employment within the European chemical industry has increased over the past year, in an effort to meet all the technological and market challenges.

“My ambition is to promote a European environment in which the chemical industry can grow and support the transition to a sustainable society, by turning circularity into real economy,” Ferrari added.

Ferrari has a thirty-year career in the chemical industry and is currently the CEO of Versalis and chairman of Matrìca, a joint venture focusing on renewable chemistry. He is also vice president of Federchimica, the federation of the Italian chemical industry and president of PlasticsEurope, a pan-European association representing plastics manufacturers.