MANAGEMENT TEAM BIOGRAPHIES
The MONIER Group is led by a six-member Executive Committee comprising six nationalities.
- Pepyn Rene Dinandt, CEO
Pepyn Rene Dinandt, Chief Executive Officer
Pepyn Rene Dinandt holds a degree in Economics from the University of Wales and started his career at Hewlett Packard before joining McKinsey & Company, then held several management positions in a number of industries. He was notably the CEO of Mannesmann Plastics Machinery GmbH, where he gained experience in a Private Equity owned company.
In his last position, Pepyn Rene Dinandt was COO and member of the Management Board at Conergy AG, one of the leading European producers of solar systems. Appointed 8 July 2008 he is the CEO of the worldwide MONIER Group.
- Andrea Benincasa, VP Organisation & HR
Andrea Benincasa, Vice President Organisation and Human Resources
With a degree in Business Administration from the University Bocconi, Milan, Andrea Benincasa has worked in Human Resources, Sales & Marketing and General Management. In 1994 he joined the Sales & Marketing team of Lafarge Roofing Italy as Product Manager Chimneys, and in 1996 he was appointed Head of Sales & Marketing of the Italian business unit of MONIER subsidiary Schiedel. In 1998 he became Human Resources Director of all MONIER companies in Italy. He moved to Japan in 2002, where he took over as CEO of Lafarge Roofing Japan.
On 1 January 2006, Andrea Benincasa became Vice President Organisation & Human Resources for Lafarge Roofing, now MONIER. As part of his responsibilities he is also in charge of Group Health & Safety.
- Jean-Marc Chicco, COO
Jean-Marc Chicco, Chief Operating Officer
A graduated electronics engineer of French Ecole Superieure d’Electricite (Supelec), Jean-Marc Chicco obtained an MBA from the University of Austin, Texas, in 1976 and, from 1977 to 1983, exercised various executive functions within TRW Semiconductors, a US company specialising in electronic components for communication and energy conversion. In 1983 he founded his own company specialising in the design, production and distribution of power electronic systems. After selling the company in 1991, he joined the Valeo Group as Marketing Director of the Electronic division. In 1992, he was appointed General Manager of one of the electronic business units. From 1996 to 1998, he was General Manager of the Engine Cooling division.
In 1999, he joined Lafarge Roofing, now MONIER, as COO. He is responsible for Group Marketing and the roofing activities in Asia, Western Europe, Brazil and South Africa.
- Thomas Kirschner, CFO
Thomas Kirschner, Chief Financial Officer
Following his university studies in business administration specialising in banking, Thomas Kirschner joined KPMG in 1986. He was appointed Auditor for KPMG Sao Paulo in 1989 and from 1991 to 1992 he was Supervisor of KPMG in Frankfurt. Following this experience, he took charge of the Finance and Accounting department of the German textile group Hof. In 1995, he returned to Brazil, this time as Project Manager Joint Ventures of Krupp Metalúrgica. In 1997, he was appointed CEO of Krupp Karman Sistemas Automotivos, Brazil.
In 2000 Thomas Kirschner joined Lafarge Roofing, now MONIER, as CFO. His additional responsibilities include IT/IS and Legal, Tax and Insurance.
- Michel Klein, VP Roofing Components
Michel Klein, Vice President Roofing Components
Michel Klein earned a postgraduate degree in Physics, additional degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Economics, and an MBA from ESCP-EAP. He started his career as a consultant and lecturer.
In 1995 Michel Klein joined Lafarge in Paris as VP Group Organisation. There he managed two major projects: the post-merger integration of Redland in 1998 and the re-organisation of Lafarge Group into five Divisions in 1999. In July 1999 he took over the role of CFO for Lafarge Roofing Components, now MONIER Roofing Components. Then from 2000 to 2005 Michel Klein was the acting CEO of the Business Line Roofing Components, before moving to Paris to take over the position of CEO for Lafarge Couverture – the French roofing products business unit of MONIER. In April 2008 Michel Klein joined the MONIER Group Executive Committee as Group Vice President Roofing Components.
- Paul Kolowratnik, COO
Paul Kolowratnik, Chief Operating Officer
With a degree in process technology and chemical engineering from the Technological University of Graz, Austria, Paul Kolowratnik started his career as Plant Manager for Ebenseer Betonwerke, Austria, later becoming Industrial Director with responsibility for 13 plants. After earning an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, he joined the former Braas Group in 1982 as Group Controller. In 1984, he was appointed CEO of Lafarge Braas Italia. Since 1990 he has been a member of the board of Braas GmbH, later Lafarge Roofing, now MONIER.
As COO of MONIER, he is responsible for the research and development activities of the Technical Centre, the chimney business, and the roofing activities in Germany, the Nordic and Baltic countries, Italy, Turkey and Eastern Europe.