Munich, 18 July 2007 - The Linde Group announced today that Trevor Burt (49), member of the Executive Board of the group and responsible for the Asia-Pacific region as well as for the Packaged and Electronic Gases Business Areas, has decided to resign for personal family reasons, effective December 31, 2007.
 
CEO Wolfgang Reitzle said: "Trevor has been tremendously successful in establishing our Asia-Pacific organisation, and thus contributed to our new company during its first year of existence. We respect his decision to leave but regret it at the same time."
 
Trevor Burt said: "I am glad that I was able to help get the new combined company on its course from the beginning and on a successful start. Now, I have decided to focus on my family."
 
Burt's resignation leads to a reduction of the Executive Board of Linde AG from five to four members. The responsibilities within the Board will be reorganised as follows, effective August 1, 2007:
 
CEO Wolfgang Reitzle, in addition to his current duties, will be in charge of the group wide Innovation Management, formerly led by Aldo Belloni.
 
Aldo Belloni, in addition to his responsibilities for the Engineering Division, the Regional Business Units Continental & Northern Europe, UK & Ireland and Eastern Europe & Middle East, will take over Trevor Burt's responsibilities for the Regional Business Units Greater China and South & East Asia, including the Asia JVs, as well as for the Electronic Gases Business Area. Furthermore, he will be responsible for the Global Business Unit Tonnage, currently managed by Kent Masters.
 
Kent Masters, responsible for the Regional Business Units North America, South America and Africa as well as for the Business Area Bulk, will in addition take over Burt's leadership for the Regional Business Unit South Pacific as well as for the Business Area Packaged Gas & Products. He will also take over the responsibility for the Global Business Unit Healthcare, currently led by Aldo Belloni.
 
The responsibilities of CFO Georg Denoke remain unchanged.
 
The Linde Group is a world-leading industrial gases, medical gases and engineering company with around 49,000 employees working in more than 70 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of The BOC Group plc, the company has gases and engineering sales of around 12 billion euro per annum. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.