Nuplex Industries reports to appoint a new Chief Executive with Dr Ememry Severin today, replacing long-serving John Hirst and marking the completion of a changing of the guard at the specialty chemicals maker.

John has been serving the company since 43 years and will retire from the company at the end of June. However, he will remain as a consultant to the board through to June 2011 to keep the changeover at the top as smooth as possible.

Severin, 53, a PhD holder in Physical Chemistry from Oxford University, was previously president of Boral Industries, based in Atlanta, Nuplex revealed in a statement.

Among others to depart in the past two years were Chief Financial Officer Graeme Storey and Fred Holland, who retired after 40 years with the company, including 12 as chairman.

The large capital raising program initiated by the company, has lead to a better than expected recovery and outlined a new management structure late last year that has recently seen Clive Deetlefs named as the company's new group general manager of operations.

Reflecting the company's recovery, Nuplex last month claimed that it fetched a record- breaking first-half profit and lifted its full-year forecast. The shares have climbed 10% this year, while the NZX 50 slid 4%.