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Niek Stapel has served as Chief Executive Officer since November 2020. He has over 30 years of experience in the specialty and fine chemicals business . Prior to joining Veranova, he was responsible for the $1.0b Nouryon Pulp and Performance Chemicals Business Unit and was a member of the Nouryon Leadership Team. Nouryon was previously the Chemicals Division of AkzoNobel, now owned by private equity firm Carlyle. He served in various general management positions with full P&L responsibility ($100m-$1.0b) in three continents (The Netherlands, Sweden, Malaysia/Singapore and the US). He has proven success of establishing top line growth, expanding market shares and increasing margins in differentiating businesses. He also successfully executed various restructuring projects and turn around programs in a number of businesses.

Niek holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and General Economics from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands and a post-graduate Controllers degree from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He is a native from the Netherlands and also holds the US citizenship. Niek Stapel is fluent in Dutch, English and German, and conversational in French.

Andy Wesztergom has served as SVP of Finance and Chief Financial Officer since January 2019. Andy leads all aspects of the accounting and finance function as well as Human Resources and IT. Andy has spent the majority of his career working for large international manufacturing companies, both public, private and private investor backed, focusing on specialty chemicals and metals. Andy holds an MBA from Temple University with a concentration in Strategic Management, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance.

Nick Shackley has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer since September 2020. He joined in November 2017 as VP, CDMO / Innovators. From August 2011 to October 2017, Nick worked for Aceto Corporation as Global Vice President, Active Ingredients and Intermediates. From January 2008 to June 2011, he worked for BASF Corporation as Vice President, Pharma Ingredients and Services and prior to 2008, Nick held technical and commercial roles in Zeneca, Avecia and Cambrex.

Nick served on the Board of SOCMA from 2003 – 2011. Nick holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, University of London.

Ken Zrebiec has served as SVP, Manufacturing Operations since December 2020. With over 20 years of experience in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, Ken has proven leadership in site management, supply chain, project management, and environmental, health, and safety. Prior to Veranova, Ken held senior operational roles with Siegfried in the US and Switzerland and was the Director of Supply Chain at Endo Pharmaceuticals.

Ken has been on the SOCMA Board of Governors since 2018 and has been a member of the SOCMA Executive Board since 2020. Ken holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Delaware.

Ross Oehler has headed the Legal and Intellectual Property functions since May 2013. He has practiced law in both the private and corporate sectors and, for the last 30 years, focused on the biopharmaceutical and applied chemistry industries, holding positions of increasing responsibility in Legal and IP with Sanofi-Aventis (formerly Rhône-Poulenc Rorer) and Cephalon, Inc., before assuming his current role with Veranova supporting all functions in the business.

Ross is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and has been involved in numerous IP and commercial disputes in US Federal Courts, the International Trade Commission, post-grant review proceedings in the US and European Patent Offices, and in several courts throughout Europe. Ross is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, the Association of Corporate Patent Counsel, and the Intellectual Property Owners Association, where he served on the Board of Directors.