Euro Chlor appoints new Regulatory Affairs and Science Directors
Euro Chlor, representing the European Chlor-Alkali industry, has appointed two new Directors. Mrs. Véronique Garny takes over regulatory affairs from Arseen Seys, who retired on 31 December 2009. Dolf Van Wijk is the new Science Director.
Dr. Arseen Seys, Deputy Executive Director of Euro Chlor, retired 31 December 2009, after having served the European chlor-alkali industry for nearly 25 years. During the full 20 years of his executive role in leading the Euro Chlor Regulatory Affairs, he has been striving for the full recognition of the benefits of chlorine chemistry to society and for continuously improving the performance of the chlorine industry. He was also the Managing Director of the World Chlorine Council.
As from January 1st, Arseen Seys is succeeded by Mrs. Véronique Garny. Arseen Seys will now act as an adviser to the Euro Chlor organisation.
Mrs. Veronique Garny has been Science Director of Euro Chlor, managing the federation’s science programme, encompassing environmental and toxicological research, risk assessment and product safety. She also manages other sector groups within the European Chemical Industry Council Cefic related to fluorinated chemicals.
A Belgian national, Mrs. Garny joined Euro Chlor in 1996 as a science manager and was promoted to the position of Science Director in 2002. She was previously employed by Solvay (1987 – 96) at its Neder-over-Heembeek Research Centre, where she coordinated product toxicology research. From 1980 to 1987, Mrs. Garny has also been working for Continental Pharma at the firm’s research centre on the Louvain-la-Neuve Industrial Park. She was responsible for experimental reproduction studies and biological toxicology analyses.
Mrs. Garny studied pharmacy at the Catholic University of Louvain and took a post-graduate degree in toxicology.
Dr. Dolf Van Wijk has been Science Manager at Euro Chlor since September 2001. In this function he has been providing advice and counsel to the federation’s committees and working groups on chlorine-related science issues, with specific responsibility for assisting in the development of risk assessments. A Dutch national, Dr. Van Wijk was employed by AkzoNobel (1990 – 2001) as manager of the firm’s Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry in Arnhem, The Netherlands, where he focused on ecotoxicology, environmental risk assessments and fate modelling.
Previously, Dr. Van Wijk was an aquatic ecologist at the Prof. H.C. van Hall Polytechnic in Groningen and environmental advisor on water quality issues for the Dutch Ministry of Traffic and Public Works, where he was responsible for environmental policy and water quality management. Dr. Van Wijk obtained an MSc.degree in biology at the University of Nijmegen (1979) whilst simultaneously working part-time as an evening school teacher at the Polytechnic School for Laboratory Assistants in Nijmegen. He obtained his PhD in 1989 at the same university.
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