Rennie becomes president in revamped ABB

Ian Rennie has been named as president of ABB`s Automation Technology Products division in the UK, following the company`s re-organisation along customer-centred lines. Rennie, formerly director of automation products in ABB Automation, will head one of two technology-based divisions in the new structure, which also has four divisions targeting specific sectors of industry.

Rennie`s division will provide hardware and software products for automation and control applications, including drives, motors, instrumentation, sensors, and low-voltage control equipment.

The four customer-based divisions are:

• Process Industries, serving customers in pulp and paper, printing, mining, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and similar industries. Its president is David Denton, previously managing director of ABB Automation.

• Manufacturing and Consumer Industries, serving product manufacturers and customers in the telecommunications, airports, logistics and building sectors. No president has been announced yet for this division.

• Utilities, serving customers in the electricity, gas, water and rail industries. Its president is Trevor Gregory, formerly managing director of ABB Power T&D, who will also run the second technology-based division, Power Technology Products.

• Oil and Petrochemicals, serving the hydrocarbon industries. There will be no change of management in this business.

In addition to the customer-based operations, there is a Group Processes division, responsible for implementing common processes and a infrastructures across ABB in areas such as quality control, e-business development, supply chain management and information systems. David Mumford, formerly with Adtranz Signal, is MD of this division.

Under the new structure, ABB will not have a UK chief executive, but Eric Drewery who previously held this post, will act as group representative for the UK, in addition to his new role, leading the global implementation of ABB`s realignment plans.