Paul S. Allen
Encyclopedia
Paul Stephen Allen is a British
business executive, President of Cognis
Corporation and Executive Vice President Functional Products. Allen was born in Sheffield
, England
. His father Ronald Allen was a steel worker and former RAF firefighter
, his mother Betty Allen a dental assistant. He has one sister, Jane Hardwick who lives in nearby Rotherham
. Allen has been President of Cognis
USA since 2004, as well as Executive Vice President of Cognis' Strategic Business Unit: Functional Products since January 2006. Allen studied German
and Spanish
at the University of Bath
, Freie Universität
in Berlin
, and the London
Institute of Purchasing and Supply. Allen went on to become business manager of Diamond Shamrock Process Chemicals and was required to move to Fontainebleau
, France
in 1985. When Diamond Shamrock was purchased by Henkel
, Allen assumed a position as head of Henkel
Canada
after moving to Hamilton
, Ontario
in 1988. In 1991 Allen moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
, USA and continued to work for Henkel
(later Cognis
). Allen became head of Nutrition and Health in 2002 until his appointment as head of Functional Products. Allen retired from Cognis 12/31/2010 following its acquisition by BASF.
, French
, German
. He has lived in the UK, France
, Belgium
, Germany
, Canada
and the US. Allen currently lives in Indian Hill
, an affluent suburb of the Greater Cincinnati area. He is a fan of Jaguar sports cars, The Beatles
,Sheffield Wednesday soccer team and is a keeper of Border Collies.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
business executive, President of Cognis
Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, headquartered in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. The company employs about 5,600 people and operates production or service centers in almost 30 countries....
Corporation and Executive Vice President Functional Products. Allen was born in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father Ronald Allen was a steel worker and former RAF firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
, his mother Betty Allen a dental assistant. He has one sister, Jane Hardwick who lives in nearby Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
. Allen has been President of Cognis
Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, headquartered in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. The company employs about 5,600 people and operates production or service centers in almost 30 countries....
USA since 2004, as well as Executive Vice President of Cognis' Strategic Business Unit: Functional Products since January 2006. Allen studied German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
at the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
, Freie Universität
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Institute of Purchasing and Supply. Allen went on to become business manager of Diamond Shamrock Process Chemicals and was required to move to Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1985. When Diamond Shamrock was purchased by Henkel
Henkel
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is an multinational company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.The company operates in three business areas: Home Care , Personal Care ,...
, Allen assumed a position as head of Henkel
Henkel
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is an multinational company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.The company operates in three business areas: Home Care , Personal Care ,...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after moving to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1988. In 1991 Allen moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USA and continued to work for Henkel
Henkel
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is an multinational company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.The company operates in three business areas: Home Care , Personal Care ,...
(later Cognis
Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, headquartered in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. The company employs about 5,600 people and operates production or service centers in almost 30 countries....
). Allen became head of Nutrition and Health in 2002 until his appointment as head of Functional Products. Allen retired from Cognis 12/31/2010 following its acquisition by BASF.
Personal life
Allen is fluent in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. He has lived in the UK, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the US. Allen currently lives in Indian Hill
Indian Hill, Ohio
The Village of Indian Hill is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and an affluent suburb of the Greater Cincinnati area. The population was 5,907 at the 2000 census. Prior to 1970, Indian Hill was incorporated as a village, but under Ohio law became designated as a city once its...
, an affluent suburb of the Greater Cincinnati area. He is a fan of Jaguar sports cars, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
,Sheffield Wednesday soccer team and is a keeper of Border Collies.