Dow CEO Liveris named to President’s Export Council

The Dow Chemical Company on July 7 announced that Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and chief executive officer, has been appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Export Council.

Liveris joins labor leaders, congressional representatives and CEOs from other top U.S. companies in advising the Obama Administration on how to achieve its goal of doubling exports in the next five years, which in turn promises to create millions of new jobs and spur U.S. economic growth.

"I am honored to have been selected to serve on the Export Council, and applaud the President's vision for driving a resurgence in U.S. exports. As we all know, growing exports is good for American manufacturers, and good for the U.S. economy," said Liveris. “Just as our predecessors ushered in a new wave of prosperity with the U.S. industrial revolution more than a century ago, we now have the opportunity to fuel a new era of sustainable economic growth for America. By creating pragmatic and purposeful trade policies, we will ensure we deploy the vast resources of this nation towards advanced manufacturing programs in high-growth sectors that will make America more competitive at a global level."

Addressing trade policy is just one element of Dow's Advanced Manufacturing Plan for America (AMP). AMP calls for action on a number of fronts to lower structural costs that are suffocating U.S. manufacturing, and to establish a broad policy framework that will enable economic growth, while at the same time considering a multitude of issues ranging from tax reform to climate change to education.

"Trade policy is key to re-establishing America's leadership in the global economy, especially the manufacturing sector,” said Liveris. “A progressive set of trade policy initiatives will facilitate market access to key emerging economies by creating a level playing field; ensuring trade partners are committed to the multilateral-rules based trading system; and establishing transparent and fair mechanisms for dispute resolution.

Liveris' 34-year Dow career has spanned manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, and business and general management. He has spent the bulk of his career in Asia, where he was general manager for the Company's operations in Thailand, and later served as President of Dow’s entire Asia-Pacific operations. He began his Dow career in 1976 in Australia.

He has been a member of Dow's board of directors since February 2004, CEO since November 2004 and was elected as chairman of the board effective April 1, 2006.

Liveris serves on the board of directors of IBM and Citigroup. He is chairman of the board of the U.S.-China Business Council and the Société de Chimie Industrielle; a vice-chair of the U.S. Business Council and the Business Roundtable; and a past chairman of the American Chemistry Council, the International Council of Chemical Associations, and SCI America. Liveris is also a member of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the American Australian Association, and the Detroit Economic Club, as well as a trustee of Tufts University

About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe.