NEW YORK--()--The Valence Group, a specialist M&A investment bank offering advisory services to companies and investors in the chemicals, materials and related sectors, today announced the appointment of William “Bill” Walter, former chairman and CEO of specialty chemical manufacturer FMC Corporation, to its Senior Executive Panel (SEP).
“Bill’s industry insight will be invaluable as we continue to navigate clients through an active chemical sector M&A landscape,” said Telly Zachariades, a co-founder and partner at Valence. “His leadership at FMC made him an important voice in the chemical industry, and we look forward to the role he will play in providing industry insight and counsel to our corporate and private equity relationships.”
Valence’s SEP provides its clients with access to the strategic insight and experience of senior executives who have run major chemical companies or have acted as principal investors in the sector. Other members include: Brendan Cummins, former CEO of Ciba Specialty Chemicals; David Lilley, former CEO of Cytec Industries; Lasse Kurkilahti, former CEO of Kemira, and Tony Clinch, former partner at CVC Capital responsible for chemicals and materials.
"Our panel is a true differentiator for our clients,” said Peter Hall, a co-founder and partner at Valence. “Bill’s experience at FMC in a wide range of sub-sectors from soda ash to agrochemicals to food ingredients makes him a significant addition to The Valence Group team.”
Mr. Walter joined FMC, a Philadelphia-based diversified chemical company serving the global agricultural, industrial and consumer markets, in 1974 and held positions of increasing responsibility until being named President and Chief Executive Officer and elected Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2001. He retired from FMC in 2010.
Mr. Walter holds a Master’s of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Finance from Northwestern University and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Economics from Loras College. He also serves on the board of directors of International Paper and New York Life Insurance Company. Mr. Walter has served on the board of directors of both the American Chemistry Council and the Executive Committee of the National Association of Manufacturers. He is also a member of The Business Roundtable and serves on its Environment, Technology and Economy, and International Trade and Investment task forces. He was appointed by George W. Bush and reappointed by Barack H. Obama to the President's Advisory Council on Export Trade and Negotiations.
About The Valence Group
The Valence Group is a specialist M&A investment bank offering advisory services exclusively to companies and investors in the chemicals, materials and related sectors. The senior members of The Valence Group have more than 250 years of collective transaction experience and have closed M&A transactions in over 100 different chemicals/materials subsectors. The Valence Group team includes a unique combination of professionals with backgrounds in investment banking, strategic consulting and senior management within the chemicals and materials industries, all focused exclusively on providing M&A advisory services to the chemicals and materials sector. The firm's offices are located in New York, London, and Shanghai.