Ciba Specialty Chemicals' official spokesperson confirmed Denzler's return to the Swiss giant's headquarters following the completion of his term and added that he would assume ``other responsibilities in the polymers division there.'' Roesti, who takes charge from Denzler, has been the project leader at Petro Araldite.

Petro Araldite, which falls under Ciba's performance polymers business unit, was established for the manufacture of epoxy resins and was expected to commence production by the beginning of 1999. The performance polymers business accounted for sales of Rs 80.2 crore during 1997-98 and key brandsinclude popular epoxy adhesive brand Araldite.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Basle, had earlier indicated an intent to divest, globally, its polymers business, though the latest position on this front could not be got. On February 23, 1999, Ciba Basle had announced a 10 per cent increase in the sales of its performance polymers business to Swiss Franc 1.79 billion, though an erosion in margins had led to ``a reorganisation and a strategic shift to focus on formulated products.''Meanwhile, Roesti's appointment comes even as the Swiss multinational had inducted former Glaxo director and Kodak India chief Humayun Dhanrajgir onto the Ciba Specialty Chemicals (India) board as director, with effect from March 26, 1999.

Dhanrajgir's appointment comes alongside the exit of chairman MN Karani and former managing partner of Arthur Andersen & Co and chief of Ambit Corporate Finance Ashok Wadhwa from the company's eight-member board. Karani had earlier held the post of chairman at Hindustan Ciba-Geigy before its mergerwith Sandoz.

Karani retired with effect from January 1, 1999 and would be replaced by HK Bilpodiwala as chairman. Wadhwa, on the other hand, had resigned from February 13 this year. Other members on the board include managing director BN Hutter and solicitor and advocate T Pooran.