The Puratos Group’s board of directors has named Paul Baisier a member of the Group Executive Committee (GEC) to continue driving innovation and R&D programs at the company, effective immediately. Baisier was previously business unit director of bakery improvers and mixes at Puratos and succeeds Pierre Tossut, who is now the chief executive officer of the company board.

For the past 21 years, Baisier has worked at Puratos in a number of roles within the strategic business units and R&D, such as R&D manager, Asia-Pacific, and R&D manager at Puratos’s headquarters in Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium. His innovative achievements include spearheading the Asia Development Center, which is the company’s hub for regional R&D in Asia, and close collaboration with research partners and universities.

Baisier holds an undergraduate degree from Ghent University, Belgium, a master’s degree in general management from Open University Malaysia and has completed the International Management Program at the Vlerick Business School, Belgium, and the Advanced Management Program at Insead, France.

“Paul is a highly inspirational business leader with a real passion for innovation,” Tossut says. “With his industry knowledge and diverse experience, there is no doubt that under his leadership Puratos’s R&D capabilities will be enhanced even further.”