Max Robinson is now Dow Chemical Company’s first General Manager for Dow Ethiopia, effective from 7th of July 2014. Max will report to Ahmed Dualeh, general manager for Dow East Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Ross McLean, President Dow Sub-Saharan Africa: “I am very excited about Max’s appointment. It is anotherproof point of our intentions in Sub-Saharan Africa. We see Africa as crucial to our company’s future growthand business success. We are proud that our solutions have been part of this growth across industries, whether it is in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, or manufacturing. We have been operating in Africa for over 50 yearsand we’re passionate about combining the power of science and technology to create solutions that forward human progress.
Ahmed Dualeh, general manager East Africa adds: “Max brings with him a wealth of Dow experience and a deep understanding of strategic partnership building, customer service excellence andleadership development; key skills to be able to build a successful sustainable business in East Africa. Furthermore, his extensive experience in Ethiopia during the past 12 years enables him to rapidly contribute to Dow’s increased focus on this fast-growing market.”
Max joined Dow in Horgen, Switzerland in 1980 as an engineer in Technical Service and Development for Coatings. After assignments in New Business Development, Strategic Planning and Dow Automotive, he was named Marketing manager for Polyurethanes and Epoxy in the Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers and Coatings markets. In 1995 he joined the Chemicals Department as Commercial manager for the Oxygenated Solvents business and in 1999 he was appointed global business director for Specialty Resins & Powders and Superabsorbent Polymers. In 2006 he was named director of Dow’s Global Customer Technical Support Center.
Max Robinson: “The speed of growth and technology development in East Africa is impressive. The attraction of this region for global corporates is getting stronger every day which makes Ethiopia an even more challenging and exciting place to be at the moment.”
Max received the Human Element Award in 2008 in recognition of the work of his foundation,Rainbows4children, which builds schools for children of parents with disabilities in Ethiopia, Africa.
Max earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and a Diploma of Industrial Studies from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.