Jun 20, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Aceto Names Gilles Cottier as Chief Executive Officer and Rakesh Sachdev as Chairman

Aceto, a leading virtual manufacturer engaged in the development, marketing and sale of specialty materials serving the life sciences, nutrition, agricultural and advanced technology end markets, announced the appointment of Gilles Cottier as Chief Executive Officer and Rakesh Sachdev as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“We are pleased to welcome Gilles and Rakesh to Aceto,” said Andre Moura, Managing Director at New Mountain Capital. “Gilles and Rakesh have both demonstrated an exceptional ability to understand customer need and create value for customers, employees and supplier partners within the specialty materials and life sciences industries. We look forward to working closely with Gilles and Rakesh as we invest behind a growth plan to continue Aceto’s success in the markets it serves.”

Mr. Cottier brings more than 30 years of global industry leadership experience in life sciences, fine chemicals, and research chemicals to his new role at Aceto. Most recently, he served as Head of Bioscience at Lonza. Previously, he had held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at Sigma Aldrich during his nearly 30 years there, including his role as Executive Vice President and President of the Sigma Aldrich Fine Chemicals Commercial Unit. Mr. Cottier earned a master’s degree in organic chemistry from the Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Industrielle de Lyon and the advanced management program from the Harvard Business School in Boston.

“I am excited to join Aceto, and I look forward to partnering with Aceto’s long-standing management team and associates to build on Aceto’s impressive growth track record,” said Mr. Cottier. “With its unique market presence, data resources and strong relationships, Aceto is well positioned to continue to invest in building differentiated capabilities and expanding its value proposition to customers and supplier partners.”

Mr. Sachdev recently retired as the CEO of Platform Specialty Products. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Sigma Aldrich, a global life sciences materials and technology company from 2010 to 2015, where he led the organization through its sale to Merck KGaA. Mr. Sachdev earned an M.B.A. from Indiana University, a master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. He also serves as a Senior Adviser at New Mountain Capital and as a director of Avantor Inc., Element Solutions Inc., Edgewell Personal Care Company, Regal Beloit Corporation, and Washington University in St. Louis.

“Aceto is a leading player in the specialty materials and life science spaces,” said Mr. Sachdev. “Alongside New Mountain, Gilles, and the rest of the management team, I look forward to executing on a strategy to invest in key initiatives and promote accelerated growth going forward. I am thrilled to work once again with Gilles, who, at Sigma Aldrich, consistently demonstrated his outstanding ability to lead and to execute on our strategy in the life sciences and specialty materials spaces.”

About Aceto

Founded in 1947, Aceto is a leading global virtual manufacturer supplying niche, differentiated specialty materials in life sciences and advanced technology end markets. With business operations in nine countries, Aceto distributes over 1,100 chemical compounds used principally by the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, agricultural, and specialty chemical industries. Aceto’s global operations, including a significant staff on the ground in China and India, are distinctive in the industry and enable its worldwide sourcing and regulatory capabilities.

About New Mountain Capital

New Mountain Capital is a New York based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth, rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private equity, public equity, and credit funds with over $20 billion in assets under management. New Mountain seeks out what it believes to be the highest quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit www.newmountaincapital.com.