Former Momentive boss takes charge of Wacker Silicones

Munich, Germany – Dr. Robert Gnann has taken over as president of Wacker Silicones effective 1 April, succeeding Dr. Christian Hartel, who was appointed to the group’s executive board last November.

Gnann joins the company from Momentive Performance Materials, where he headed the chemical company’s elastomer and European activities, said a 4 April Wacker announcement.

After studying inorganic and polymer chemistry at the University of Cologne and earning his doctorate, Gnann began his career at GE Silicones in the US in 1996.

He then moved on to Bayer and Lanxess in Canada and Germany, where he held managerial positions in such areas as production and technology.

From 2008, Gnann was responsible for the elastomers business unit at Momentive Performance Materials and, in 2010, additionally took charge of the company’s European activities.

(Image source: Wacker Chemie AG)