BASF Corporation: Wayne T. Smith

The 2016 Gala Award for BASF Corporation will be accepted by Teressa Szelest, President, Market & Business Development, North America

Wayne T. Smith is Chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation in North America; a role he assumed on May 1, 2015. He is also a member of the BASF SE Board of Executive Directors, as of 2012.

Wayne leads all activities within BASF’s North American business region and also bears responsibility for the company’s global Catalysts, Coatings and Performance Materials business divisions.

Prior to his current role, Wayne served as President of BASF’s global Polyurethanes Division, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. A 26-year veteran of the chemical industry, Wayne joined BASF in 2004 as Group Vice President of the North American Intermediates regional business unit.

Before joining BASF, Wayne held the position of Vice President and General Manager Specialty Construction Chemicals, W.R. Grace & Co., Cambridge, MA. Previous to that role, Wayne had served in various financial, operations, business management and executive capacities with BOC Group, Murray Hill, NJ.

Born in Rochester, New York, Wayne holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.