2017 Spring & 13th GCPS Wednesday Luncheon Speaker
Fernandez-Moreno, 53, joined Ashland in 2012 as president, Ashland Water Technologies. In October 2013, Fernandez-Moreno was elected senior vice president of Ashland and became the president of Ashland Specialty Ingredients. In April 2015, he was promoted to senior vice president of Ashland and president, Chemicals Group. In this expanded role, he continues to lead Specialty Ingredients and has assumed additional management responsibility for Ashland Performance Materials. He also serves as a member of Ashland's Executive Committee.
Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers industry-leading products, technologies and resources for solving formulation and product-performance challenges in key markets including personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, coatings, construction and energy. Using natural, synthetic and semisynthetic polymers derived from plant and seed extract, cellulose ethers and vinyl pyrrolidones, Specialty Ingredients offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for today's demanding consumer and industrial applications.
Since joining Ashland in November 2012, Fernandez-Moreno has been instrumental in revitalizing Ashland Water Technologies. Under his leadership, Water Technologies has simplified the business, focused on key growth opportunities and delivered better service and value for customers.
A 30-year veteran of the global chemical industry, Fernandez-Moreno previously served as executive vice president of Arch Chemicals, Inc. where he was responsible for the wood protection and HTH water products businesses. Prior to that, he served as business group vice president of Dow Coating Materials which was formed after Dow Chemical acquired Rohm & Haas in 2009. He previously spent more than 25 years with Rohm & Haas in a series of leadership roles spanning across Europe, Latin America and the United States.
Fernandez-Moreno earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. He also completed the Wharton Management Program at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.