Imerys : simplifies its organization for greater customer focus

PRESS RELEASE

PARIS, NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Imerys simplifies its organization for greater customer focus

Following an in-depth strategic review, Imerys announces that it will change its management organization to be more market-focused and to further leverage its successful repositioning as a specialty minerals company.

The new organization, effective December 1, 2018, will be organized around 2 segments, grouping 5 newly created business areas which have been built around core markets. The General Managers of the five newly created business areas will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer:

• ● The Performance Minerals segment b​ rings together three geographic business areas: Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA), Americas and Asia Pacific (APAC) serving plastics, paints & coatings, filtration, ceramics, renewable energy and paper & board markets;

• ● The High Temperature Materials & Solutions segment regroups two business areas: High Temperature Solutions, and Refractory Abrasives & Construction serving refractory, foundry, metal flow, abrasives and building chemistry markets.

CEO Conrad Keijzer commented:

"Our new organization, with business areas built around core markets, will enable us to achieve our full organic ​

growth potential and to further improve our competitive position for sustained value creation. In a competitive environment, this organization with less management layers will bring us closer to our customers and will allow us to meet their needs in a more effective way. In line with this new structure, we are appointing a new Executive Committee and we will be rolling out the implementation plan over the next few months. I am, with the full support of the Board of Directors, confident in Imerys' ability to deliver on our ambition to further strengthen our position as the undisputed global leader in specialty minerals, with best-in-class operations, delivering commercial excellence and market-driven innovation".

​

The new Executive Committee is comprised of (see bios in Appendix):

• ● Conrad Keijzer, Chief Executive Officer;

• ● Olivier Pirotte, Chief Financial Officer;

• ● Philippe Bourg, Senior Vice President Refractory Abrasives & Construction;

• ● Michel Cornelissen, Senior Vice President High Temperature Solutions;

• ● Guillaume Delacroix, Senior Vice President Performance Minerals EMEA;

• ● Cyril Giraud, Senior Vice President Performance Minerals APAC;

• ● Jim Murberger, Senior Vice President Performance Minerals Americas;

• ● Frédérique Berthier-Raymond, Group General Counsel;

• ● Jean-François Claver, Chief Industrial Officer;

• ● Olivier Hautin, Chief Strategy Officer;

• ● Vincent Lecerf, Chief Human Resources Officer;

• ● Thierry Materne, Chief Innovation Officer.

Full year results for the year ending December 31, 2018 will be reported on the basis of the organization currently in place. The new organization with two segments will be reflected in the financial reporting starting in 2019.

Imerys will organize a Capital Markets Day in the second quarter of 2019.

APPENDIX Bios

Frédérique Berthier-Raymond, Group General Counsel	Conrad Keijzer, CEO
Appointed as Chief Executive Officer on May 4, 2018, Conrad joined Imerys in March, 2018 after having served as a member of the Board of Management at AkzoNobel NV and as CEO of its Performance Coatings business. Prior, he held numerous global leadership positions across AkzoNobel's businesses and he was based in the United States, Mexico, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. He has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and has a Master (MSc.) degree in Technical Management Science and Industrial Engineering from Twente University of Technology.	After 10 years as a merger and acquisition (M&A) lawyer with Paris based law firms, notably with Latham & Watkins, Frédérique joined Imerys in 2008 as a M&A Legal Manager. In 2014 she was appointed Group Deputy General Counsel and is appointed Group General Counsel on November 26th ​ 2018.
Jean-François Claver, Chief Industrial Officer	Philippe Bourg, SVP Refractory Abrasives & Construction
After having started his career in Occidental Industries, an engineering company, as Commercial Engineer where he was located in Europe and in Asia, Philippe joined Imerys in 1996. Initially, he held the positions of technical sales engineer and commercial director of various activities within the refractories business. In 2010, he was appointed Commercial Director of the ceramics business and in 2014 he was appointed Vice President & General Manager of the same business. Since 2017, Philippe has also supervised the kaolin activity in the UK. He is appointed Senior Vice President Refractory, Abrasives & Construction on November 26​th​ 2018.	Jean-François joined Imerys in 2015 as Director of Mining and Industrial Operations and was appointed Group Chief Industrial Officer in October 2016. He previously held industrial management positions at Pechiney for nearly 16 years and then in several other international industrial groups (Alcan, Vallourec, Lafarge, Etex).
Michel Cornelissen, SVP High Temperature Solutions	Guillaume Delacroix, SVP Performance Minerals EMEA
Michel started his career with Prayon Rupel Group (Chemicals) as Sales Engineer. Since joining Imerys in 1991, Michel has held positions of increasing responsibility in Sales & Marketing, Business Development and general management within a number of businesses. In 2014 he joined Imerys Refractory Minerals as General Manager North America. In 2017, Michel was appointed Vice President & General Manager of the Monolithic refractories division (Calderys). Michel is appointed Senior Vice President High Temperature Solutions on November 26th 2018.	Guillaume joined Imerys in 2004 as Strategy & Development Director after having started his career in London as an associate with the investment bank, Credit Suisse. He has since held general management roles of increasing responsibility, notably within the refractory mineral business. In 2016, he was appointed Vice-President & General Manager of the Metallurgy business. Guillaume is appointed Senior Vice President Performance Minerals EMEA on November 26th 2018.

Cyril Giraud, SVP Performance Minerals APAC	Olivier Hautin, Strategy, Customer Excellence and
Mergers & Acquisitions
Prior to joining Imerys in 1998, Cyril started his career in	Olivier joined Imerys in 1995, after beginning his career in
Venture Capital. Within Imerys he has held various positions	strategy consulting at Mars & Co. He was first in charge of
including Strategy & Development, Finance & Control and	Strategy & Development for the Group. After having held
Project Management across numerous businesses in Europe	management positions in several business units and
and Asia. In 2014, Cyril was appointed General Manager for	divisions, he was successively appointed head of various
the Carbonates business in Europe, Middle East and Africa.	business groups: Pigments for Paper & Packaging, Minerals
Cyril is appointed Senior Vice President Performance	for Ceramics/Refractories/ Abrasives & Foundry, Energy
Minerals APAC on November 26th 2018.	Solutions & Specialties. In October 2016, he took also
responsibility over Imerys Strategy,Commercial Excellence,
M&A and International Development while maintaining the
supervision of the Oilfields Solutions division.
Vincent Lecerf, Chief Human Resources Officer	Thierry Materne, Chief Innovation Officer
Vincent joined Imerys as Group Chief Human Resources	Thierry joined Imerys in June 2016 as Group Chief
Officer in January 2017, after holding various human	Innovation Officer. Previously, he spent more than 11 years
resources management positions for the groups: Valeo,	in research and development at Goodyear Tire & Rubber in
Poclain Hydraulics, Rhodia and Norbert Dentressangle. He	Europe and the United States, before taking on responsibility
was since 2008 Director of Human Resources and member	for innovation at Dow Corning and then heading Sabic
of the Managing Board of Tarkett.	Innovative Plastics (formerly GE Plastics).
Jim Murberger, SVP Performance Minerals Americas	Olivier Pirotte, Chief Financial Officer
Jim joined Imerys in 1996 after beginning his career in the	Olivier joined Imerys on June 2015 as Chief Financial Officer
Food and Beverage industry where we held management	of the Group. He previously was ExCom member of Groupe
positions with Frito-Lay and Kraft foods. Since joining	Bruxelles Lambert where he acted for nearly 20 years in
Imerys he was held progressive positions in Operations,	various management positions including Head of Portfolio
Supply Chain, Marketing, and general management. In	and Investments, then Chief Financial Officer. Before 1995,
2016, he was appointed Vice-President & General Manager	he held senior audit and business consultant responsibility
of the Filtration business. Jim is appointed Senior Vice	with Arthur Andersen.
President Performance Minerals Americas in November 26th
2018.
About Imerys

The world leader in mineral-based specialty solutions for industry with €4.6 billion revenue and 18,000 employees in 2017, Imerys delivers high value-added, functional solutions to a great number of sectors, from processing industries to consumer goods. The Group draws on its knowledge of applications, technological expertise and its material science know-how to deliver resources based on beneficiation of its mineral resources, synthetic minerals and formulations. These contribute essential properties to customers' products and performance, including refractoriness, hardness, conductivity, opacity, durability, purity, lightness, filtration, absorption and repellency. Imerys is determined to develop responsibly, in particular by fostering the emergence of environmentally-friendly products and processes.

Analysts / Investor relations : Vincent Gouley - + 33 (0)1 49 55 64 [e-mail]

Press contacts: Philémon Tassel - + 33 (0)6 30 10 96 [e-mail] Claire Garnier - + 33 (0)1 49 55 64 [e-mail]