Danbury, CT - Praxair, Inc. announced changes to the company’s senior leadership team, effective January 1, 2014.
Anne Roby has been promoted to senior vice president, responsible for Global Supply Systems, R&D, Global Market Development, Global Operations Excellence, Global Procurement, Sustainability and Safety, Health and Environment. Roby is currently president of Praxair Asia. In her new role, Roby will report to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Angel and will serve on the company’s executive leadership team. She will succeed Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Ray Roberge, who has announced his plan to retire after 40 years of service with the company.
John Panikar has been promoted to president of Praxair Asia, responsible for managing Praxair’s industrial gases business in Asia as well as the Middle East, reporting to Angel. Panikar is currently president of Praxair Distribution, Inc.
Executive Vice President Eduardo Menezes will now have responsibility for Europe, Mexico and South America and Executive Vice President Scott Telesz will oversee U.S. atmospheric gases, Canada and Praxair Surface Technologies. Both Menezes and Telesz continue to serve as members of the company’s executive leadership team reporting to Angel.
“The depth of our leadership talent is impressive and allows us to make seamless transitions in our organization,” said Angel. “Each one of these leaders has a proven track record of success and a deep knowledge of our business, customers and industry. I am confident they will continue to deliver results and provide outstanding leadership.”
Anne Roby
Since 2011, Anne Roby has been president of Praxair Asia, responsible for Praxair’s industrial gases business in China, India, South Korea and Thailand as well as the electronics market globally.
Roby joined Praxair in 1991 as a development associate in the company’s R&D organization. She became global marketing manager for chemicals and refining in 1996 and moved to Houston in 1999 to become a pipeline sales and business manager in the North American Industrial Gases business unit. She was named area director in 2004, responsible for commercial activities related to both pipeline and merchant atmospheric products. In 2006, she became vice president of the U.S. South Region, responsible for Praxair’s business in a seven-state area that includes many of Praxair’s major chemicals and refining customers. She was appointed vice president, global sales for Praxair, Inc. in 2009. In 2010, Roby became president of Praxair Electronics, with global responsibility for products, services and technologies supplied to the semiconductor, flat panel display, LED and solar industries.
Roby earned a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware. She holds four patents for industrial gas applications and serves as president of the Asia Industrial Gases Association.
John Panikar
John Panikar was appointed president of Praxair Distribution, Inc. in 2010, responsible for managing Praxair’s U.S. packaged gases business. He joined Praxair in 1991 and held a variety of assignments in operations and project management in Praxair’s electronics business before being appointed Asia business manager for electronics in 1999. He was named director of business development for Praxair Asia in 2002, with additional responsibility for managing the helium, specialty gases, medical gases and carbon dioxide growth markets for Praxair India. He became managing director of Praxair India in 2004. In 2008, he was named vice president, product management and analysis, for Praxair’s North American Industrial Gases business unit and was appointed vice president of the U.S. South Region in 2009.
A native of Mumbai, India, Panikar holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rochester. He completed the Advanced Management program at Harvard Business School in 2010.
