Sika has appointed Thomas Hasler as its new Chief Technology Officer and a Member of Group Management effective January 1, 2014. He succeeds Urs Mäder, who has decided to step down from the role.

Thomas Hasler joined Sika in 1989, starting his career as a chemist working in sealing and bonding. In 1995 he moved to the business segment Automotive, where he held various management positions in Europe and North America. For the past three years, Thomas Hasler has been Head Global Automotive. In this position, he implemented an efficient worldwide organizational structure for Sika`s automotive business, while at the same time growing the business significantly. Born in 1965, he is a Swiss citizen and holds degrees in chemical engineering and business engineering as well as an Executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen.

Urs Mäder, who has been Chief Technology Officer and a Member of Group Management at Sika since 2005, will stay with the company, assuming responsibility for corporate research and development projects. During his tenure as Chief Technology Officer he oversaw the establishment of more efficient technology management, including the globalization of R&D activities, the introduction of a professional intellectual property management system and the alignment of the R&D organization with Sika`s strategic target markets.

"Innovation and R&D are the backbone of our company", said Jan Jenisch, CEO of Sika. "We are proud to appoint a talented manager from within our own ranks as Chief Technology Officer. Thomas Hasler has successfully driven forward product developments in all the positions he has held, demonstrating his ability to combine chemical fundamentals with customer needs. His strong track record makes him highly qualified to further increase the market orientation of our R&D activities and to intensify our customer focus."

Sika is an innovation-driven company and a technology leader in all its markets. 800 R&D employees worldwide assure a high innovation rate, with numerous patents and a constant flow of new products.

Sika AG Corporate Profile
Sika AG, located in Baar, Switzerland, is a globally active specialty chemicals company. Sika supplies the building and construction industry as well as manufacturing industries (automotive, bus, truck, rail, solar and wind power plants, façades). Sika`s product lines feature high-quality concrete admixtures, specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing materials, structural strengthening systems, industrial flooring as well as roofing and waterproofing systems. Worldwide local presence in 80 countries and some 15,200 employees link customers directly to Sika and guarantee the success of all partners. Sika generated annual sales of CHF 4,829 million in 2012.

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Source: Sika AG via Thomson Reuters ONE
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