Nova Chemicals makes key leadership changes

In a series of what it calls key leadership changes, Calgary-based resin and chemicals maker Nova Chemicals Corp. has named Celeste Jones Baumgardt as corporate development vice president, Walter Pesenti as vice president of manufacturing excellence, and Mehdi Keshtkar as vice president of innovation.

Celeste Jones Baumgardt. Photo Credit: Nova Chemicals Corp.

In a new release, Nova officials said the appointments are “critical…to lead teams and strategies to deliver on [our] efforts to shape a low carbon, zero plastic waste future.”

“As we work to decarbonize our industry, strive for a zero plastic waste future, and create value for all our stakeholders, placing strong talent in integral roles to help drive our strategic direction allows us to achieve our goals,” Nova’s CEO Luis Sierra said.

Jones Baumgardt joins Nova from Goldman Sachs, where she was a vice president in their investment banking group; she has spent a total of more than ten years in investment banking and has completed more than $50 billion in M&A transactions, Nova said.

Walter Peseti. Photo Credit: Nova Chemicals Corp.

Pesenti joins Nova from Ineos Aromatics, where he most recently held the role of global petrochemicals operational excellence manager.

Mehdi Keshtkar. Photo Credit: Nova Chemicals Corp.

And Keshtkar, who has been with Nova for over nine years, has held numerous roles in the organization, including most recently as leader, industry dynamics and business analytics.