Dr. Stefan C. Wieditz

Efficient and collaborative change management, applying chemical and technical know-how, team building and motivational strengths to secure and add revenue in new market segments. Multi-cultural leadership designing, recruiting, operating and improving technical and commercial organizations to consistently deliver results and make valuable contributions.

Assigned to streamline, consolidate and de-complex the numerous and redundant portfolios of colorants and pigments of 3 independent business units and promote inter-BU sharing. Global responsibility for raw materials impacting sales worth $2.7B. Represented the function in the Performance Coatings Management Team. Reported to Director RD&I Performance Coatings.

Assumed newly created position to globally manage and direct formerly fragmented activities to ensure product compliance with automotive OEM specifications. Support and secure ~30% of the business units’ worldwide sales of ~$250M. 11 reports with $1.6M budget responsibility and senior executive member of global RD&I Management Team, led by the Director RD&I Automotive & Aerospace Coatings.

Promoted to consolidate and integrate laboratory functions from merged business units and coordinate global development activities with 100 reports. Responsibilities included product- and color development, maintenance, technical services and laboratory operations for car refinishes, commercial vehicles and automotive plastic components for the North American Region with a budget of $13M. Represented the region in the Global R&D executive steering team; reported to General Manager NA.

Hired in to create, recruit and lead a new laboratory unit to support, sustain and grow the commercial vehicles business worth $90M for Akzo Nobel North America; reported to Technical Director.

Position had been created to manage and co-ordinate European automotive manufacturers as refinish paint key accounts with a single point of contact, representing Glasurit® and R-M® brands and to negotiate contracts and follow-up of national implementation worldwide. Responsible for ~ $50M of sales in this segment and 20 functional reports; reported to Executive Vice President.

Returning from Japan, was challenged in this newly created function to manage and co-ordinate acquisition and maintenance of Glasurit® automotive refinish paint key accounts with a budget of up to $700K and two direct and five functional reports; reporting to Vice President. Performed market analysis, provided strategic planning for key accounts and oversaw resulting European sales.

Oversaw product-transfer and product-training, technical service, color development with 12 professionals and a budget of $1.2M, reporting to President. Other responsibilities included the liaison with the European R-M® headquarters to assist with marketing, advertising, logistics and pricing issues and keeping technical contacts to national automotive key accounts and car importers.

In order to better serve the premium brand automotive refinish market, designed, staffed and headed the newly created Glasurit® Brand Laboratory with 12 professionals for customer service, product adaptation and color development with a budget of $1M, reporting to Technical Director. Served as technical representative at European car importers ensuring consistent product quality.

Promoted and expatriated to transfer European product development know-how within a task force created in the USA to develop products compliant with environmental regulations in California. Took over additional responsibility to manage and improve organization of analytical services and product identification lab to evaluate customer complaints, thereby improved quality. Supervised seven professionals, two of whom were Ph.D. chemists and reported to Technical Director.

Research and develop cross-linked acrylic micro-particles for use in high-solid automotive OEM metallic base coats. Performed basic research on acrylic emulsion polymerization process to tailor-make dispersions for waterborne automotive OEM, Refinish and Industrial coatings. Took over formula ownership for waterborne polyurethane dispersion for basecoat sold to GM Europe. Supervised up to seven technicians; reported to Department Manager.