Air Liquide Welcomes David Prinselaar: A New Era of Industrial Excellence

Air Liquide, a world leader in gases, technologies, and services, has announced the appointment of David Prinselaar as Group Vice President, Industrial Direction, effective December 2, 2024. Prinselaar's extensive background in operations, supply chain, and business transformation positions him perfectly to drive operational excellence and performance delivery within the company. This strategic move aligns with Air Liquide's ADVANCE strategic plan, aiming to boost performance and meet growing market demand by fostering agility and improving efficiency.

Prinselaar's appointment comes as Pascal Vinet, the former Executive Vice President, retires at the end of the year. With a Dutch and French binational background, Prinselaar brings a wealth of international experience to the role. After obtaining his Master of Science in Electro-Mechanical engineering from UCL in Belgium, Prinselaar began his career in Malaysia before working in management consulting for Celerant. He then held several international management roles at Reckitt and AkzoNobel, culminating in his appointment as Chief Supply Chain Officer in 2019. Since 2022, Prinselaar has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Versuni, a global PE-owned leader in home appliances.

Air Liquide's Chief Executive Officer, François Jackow, expressed his confidence in Prinselaar's ability to lead the newly created Industrial Direction. "We are pleased to welcome David Prinselaar into our Group. His expertise in driving operational excellence, along with his proven track record in performance delivery and international business acumen, will greatly benefit our newly created Industrial Direction," Jackow said.

The creation of the Industrial Direction is part of Air Liquide's ongoing efforts to simplify its organization and improve agility. The new structure, composed of Operations and Functions interacting directly, aims to reduce layers within the organization and optimize industrial processes. This move aligns with Air Liquide's ADVANCE strategic plan, targeting global performance combining financial and extra-financial dimensions.



Prinselaar's leadership will be crucial in leveraging Air Liquide's scale to deliver enhanced levels of service and performance to customers worldwide. By setting new industrial standards and simplifying decision-making processes, Prinselaar is expected to drive change and improve safety, quality, reliability, and efficiency for Air Liquide's customers.

Air Liquide's revenue amounted to more than 27.5 billion euros in 2023, demonstrating the company's strong financial performance and growth potential. Prinselaar's appointment signals a commitment to continued success and a focus on operational excellence, as Air Liquide positions itself for sustained growth and long-term success.