Supervisory Board of Linde AG appoints new Executive Board member

Munich, 30 September 2011 – The Supervisory Board of Linde AG has appointed Thomas Blades (55) as a new member of the Executive Board. Blades succeeds J. Kent Masters (51), who steps down today from the Linde AG Executive Board. Blades will assume his position by 1 April 2012 at the latest. 

Blades' most recent role was as CEO of the Oil & Gas Division in Siemens AG’s Energy Sector. An electrical engineer and a British national, Blades has a wealth of international experience in the oil and gases business. Like his predecessor, Mr Masters, he will be the Executive Board member responsible for the Group’s gases business in North and South America, as well as for the liquefied gases and cylinder gas business and global healthcare operations.

The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 49,100 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of EUR 12.868 bn. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com

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