Former Orica Executive Joins Board of Penrice Soda Holdings

Former Orica Limited executive, Ms Barbara Gibson, has been appointed a Director of Penrice Soda Holdings Limited.

Ms Gibson was with Orica (formerly ICI Australia) for 20 years, including eight years as Group General Manager, Chemicals Group, up to her retirement in March this year.

Her responsibility at the Chemicals Group – one of four Orica core business platforms - involved operations with annual turnover of $1.4 billion and 1300 employees in more than 15 countries.

This included achieving a compound growth rate of 35% over the past six years through the strategic combination of organic growth and acquisition. The Orica Chemicals Group acquired 11 businesses during the past four years.

Ms Gibson is also a Director of Biota Holdings Limited and is a former Board member of Incitec Pivot Limited.

Penrice’s Chairman, Mr John Heard, said Ms Gibson’s extensive corporate and operational experience was a valuable addition to the Penrice Board.

“Her successful and diversified background – both in Australia and internationally – provides us with a new range of skills at Board level which in turn benefits Penrice’s operations locally and overseas,” he said.

“Penrice is a progressive company with a positive outlook and Ms Gibson’s track record fits well with the growth of our substantial ongoing business and our future plans.”

Penrice, which listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in July this year, is the only manufacturer of soda ash in Australia and is the leading supplier of soda ash and sodium bicarbonate to the local market. The South Australian-based company supplies 77% of the Australian market with soda ash, a key component in the manufacture of glass. Soda ash is also used in the production of chemicals and detergents and in the mining industry.