At the general meeting of the shareholders and the board meeting held on January 1, decisions were made regarding personnel changes involving senior officers. Vice President Alain Combier of the Medical Gases and Healthcare North America was appointed as Director and Chairman of the Board. Koushi Kitadai, former Director, and Chairman has assumed the position of the Chairman of the Board of Air Liquide Asia Pacific. He will continue to serve as director.

Mr. Combier joined Air Liquide in 1983. He has recently been serving as vice president in charge of Medical Gases Europe and Healthcare North America, with the exception of the home treatment medical gas business. Air Liquide has been conducting regional reshuffling of management worldwide and the current personnel movement is one aspect of this. Mr. Combier will be based in Tokyo and manage both Japan and Korea.