Megatrends, Innovation, and Sustainability in the Coatings Industry
Coatings are the unsung heroes in our everyday lives: they make our homes bright, our bridges strong, our planes safe, and our food fresh. This essential sector is currently undergoing rapid change, driven by higher performance requirements and a push towards sustainability. The industry is also dealing with the numerous challenges that industries are facing, including supply chain disruptions, inflation, geopolitical shifts, labor shortages, etc. This Société panel discussion brings together some of the most respected experts and thought leaders in the industry. The panelists will share their perspectives on three key themes: megatrends, innovation, and sustainability, as well as the unique challenges facing their respective companies. In addition, they will also discuss the structural changes facing the industry such as the impact of the supply chain disruptions.
Shaun Pan, Chief Commercial Officer of Nazdar and VP of Finance and Société board member will moderate this panel.
Panelists:
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David Bem
Senior Vice President,
Science and Technology and
Chief Technology Officer
PPG
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Dago Caceres
SVP
Ashland
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Robert Roop
Senior Vice President &
Chief Technology Officer
Axalta
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Shaun Pan
Chief Commercial Officer
Nazdar
(Moderator) |
Meet the Panelists
David Bem, Senior Vice President, Science and Technology and Chief Technology Officer, PPG
David Bem joined PPG in November 2015. Since 2016, Bem has been a member of PPG's operating committee and serves as assistant secretary of the board’s technology and environment committee.
Prior to joining PPG, Bem worked for Dow Chemical, where his last role was as vice president, research and development, consumer solutions and infrastructure solutions. Bem's previous roles with Dow included global research and development director, core research and development; global research and development director, Dow Automotive Systems; and research and development director for hydrocarbons and energy, chemicals and alternative feedstocks.
Before he joined Dow in 2007, Bem worked in research and development roles with UOP LLC, a Honeywell company formerly known as Universal Oil Products; Torial, a subsidiary of UOP; and Celanese Corporation, where he advanced to become a member of the corporate executive committee and research and development director for engineering polymers/Ticona.
Bem is active with many industry organizations and in 2021 was elected a National Academy of Engineering member, one of the highest professional honors accorded an engineer. He has authored more than 20 technical publications and is named in nine U.S. patents.
Since 2019, Bem has been a member of the board of directors of Brady Corporation, serving on the audit committee, management development and compensation committee, and the technology committee. He also serves on the advisory board of the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Bem earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from West Virginia University and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dago Caceres, SVP, Ashland
Mr. Caceres is Senior Vice President and General Manager, Specialty Additives of Ashland, a position he has held since April 2024. Previously, Mr. Caceres served as global strategy director, IFF Pharma Solutions, from February 2021 to April 2024. He served as global strategic marketing leader, DuPont from August 2019 to February 2021. He has also held a variety of leadership positions and has extensive experience working with chemical and science-driven companies, including Dow Chemical, FMC BioPolymer, and Rohm and Hass.
Mr. Caceres holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Colombia and a Master of Business Administration in International Business and Marketing from the Moore Schools of Business at the University of South Carolina.
Robert Roop, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Axalta
Dr. Robert Roop is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Axalta. He has been with Axalta since 2013 in expanding roles of responsibility in the technology organization. Dr. Roop began at Axalta as Technology Director, North America. He then moved to Germany to lead the Europe, Middle East & Africa technology team. Since then, he has held global technology leadership positions for the Refinish and Industrial businesses. Prior to those roles, Dr. Roop spent more than twenty years in technology and operations positions at DuPont in various polymer and chemical businesses, including
DuPont Performance Coatings where he led the global Light Vehicle technology team. Dr. Roop received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from West Virginia University and holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.