The Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE has announced several changes in the company's leadership team.

Dr. Alfred Hackenberger, currently President, Competence Centre Specialty Chemicals Research, will become President of the South America regional division based in Sao Paulo, Brazil effective May 1, 2010. The current head of the region Dr. Rolf-Dieter Acker is retiring following a more than 30 year career at BASF.

Dr. Harald Lauke, President of the Performance Polymers division, will succeed Hackenberger.

Dr. Wolfgang Hapke, President, Regional Division Market and Business Development Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, will succeed Lauke as of March 1.

Dr. Albert Heuser, President of the Petrochemicals division, will succeed Hapke in Hong Kong.

Prof. Dr. Rainer Diercks, President, Competence Center for Chemicals Research and Engineering, will succeed Heuser as of February 1.

The newly appointed division president, Dr. Friedrich Seitz, Group Vice President, Care Chemicals & Formulators Europe in the Fine Chemicals division, will succeed Diercks.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas.