As vice president and general manager for Label and Graphic Materials, Europe and MENA, Hassan is responsible for the short- and long-term financial and operating objectives of both our Label and Packaging Materials and the global sponsor of our Graphics Solutions businesses.
Managing a pan-European team, he drives overall commercial vision and direction, overseeing R&D activities and a multi-year operating strategy. He has a strong track record in identifying new, disruptive applications while continuing to grow the high value segments performance and cost attractiveness of the core business.
Hassan started his career as a research associate with the Center for Materials Research & Technology (MARTECH) at Florida State University. After that, he joined Hercules Incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware for 4 years between innovation and product management roles. Hassan then joined Ashland as part of the Hercules Incorporated acquisition in 2008.
While at Ashland, Hassan served as vice president of strategic growth platforms in the company’s Specialty Ingredients commercial unit. He also led the integration of innovation & channel growth streams as part of the ISP acquisition by Ashland. Prior to that, he served in commercial roles of increasing responsibility, including global business unit director of consumer industries (Pharmaceuticals, Food and Personal Care) and prior to that as global industry manager, Pharmaceuticals, at Ashland Specialty Ingredients.
Before joining Avery Dennison, Hassan served as Vice President, Chief technology and Innovation Officer at H.B. Fuller in Saint Paul, Minnesota from 2012 to 2016 leading HB Fuller's innovation & research centers around the globe and co-leading integration of key bolt-on acquisitions.
Hassan holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the American University of Beirut (Lebanon), an MBA in finance from the University of Delaware and a Ph.D. in materials chemistry from Florida State University. He holds an executive leadership certificate from the University of Minnesota from 2013 and he also has served as a director for the Minnesota High Tech Association from 2012-2016.
We asked Hassan:
What inspires you?
Decisions and transformations of our core & future business that make a difference in somebody’s quality of life, customer experiences and igniting a passionate engaged team along the way.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
The Gulf Coast of Florida: Sunshine, beach, seafood, college sports.
Other than spending time with friends and family, what do you do in your spare time?
Always looking at the next wave of disruptions inspired by shifts in consumer behavior to invest in and, in parallel, mentoring and helping others accelerate and launch their passions into professional careers; in whatever time is left, enjoying the automotive aftermarket world of cars.
