10 Westlake operations leaders
Derek Fairclough, Vice President Operational Excellence and Health Safety & Environment at Westlake, opens this list of Westlake operations leaders, who also include senior directors of vinyls, chlorovinyls and manufacturing operations and directors of olefins and Asia manufacturing. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Westlake from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Bruce Bi
LinkedInExperience: Asia Manufacturing Director · Westlake
Bruce Bi has been Asia Manufacturing Director at Westlake since June 2020, based in Shanghai, China, and the profile headline places the role at Westlake Epoxy (former Hexion). Bruce Bi was a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at Westlake from 2011 to 2020 and QA Manager at Celgene from 2009 to 2011.
David GLE
LinkedInExperience: Director Global Operations, Compounds · Westlake
David GLE has been Director Global Operations, Compounds at Westlake since August 2022, based in the Greater Toulouse area, and was Director Operations, Compounds, Asia & Europe there from 2019 to 2022. David GLE was General Manager at RESICHINA (IVY Group) from 2015 to 2019 and R&D manager at ALPHACAN (IVY Group) from 2013 to 2015.
Davy Jamaer
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director Manufacturing PEM Europe and Asia · Westlake
Davy Jamaer has been Sr. Director Manufacturing PEM Europe and Asia at Westlake since July 2026, based in Cologne, Germany. Davy Jamaer was Director Operations, Westlake Epoxy Europe and Asia from 2023 to 2026, Site Manager Cologne / Deputy Site Manager Knapsack at Westlake Vinnolit from 2019 to 2023 and Plant Manager VCM-Plant there from 2018 to 2019.
Derek Fairclough
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operational Excellence and Health Safety & Environment · Westlake
Derek Fairclough has been Vice President Operational Excellence and Health Safety & Environment at Westlake since April 2025, based in Houston, Texas, and was Vice President Health, Safety & Environment there from 2023 to 2025. Derek Fairclough was Senior Vice President, Environment, Health, Safety and Security North America at BASF from 2014 to 2020.
Doug Knittig
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations Region 2 · Westlake
Doug Knittig has been Director of Operations Region 2 at Westlake since October 2016, based in the Greater Tuscaloosa area. Doug Knittig was SAP Program Director at Axiall, a Westlake Company from 2014 to 2017 and Site Manager there from 2007 to 2015, and the profile headline reads Director of Operations Region 2 at Westlake Chemical.
Matthew Bryan
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director of Operations North American Vinyl's · Westlake
Matthew Bryan has been Sr. Director of Operations North American Vinyl's at Westlake since April 2025, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Matthew Bryan held the titles Regional Director of Operations and Plant Manager at Westlake, with the plant role running from 2017 to 2025, and was Petro 2 Ethylene Unit Manager there from 1998 to 2017.
Tom Curry
LinkedInExperience: Director Olefins Manufacturing · Westlake
Tom Curry has been Director Olefins Manufacturing at Westlake since July 2019, based in Houston, Texas. Tom Curry was Director PE Manufacturing at Westlake from 2018 to 2019, Business Manager Linear Low Density Polyehtylene there from 2007 to 2018 and Linear Low Density Unit Manager from 2001 to 2006.
Tom Janssens
LinkedInExperience: SVP Operations & Logistics · Westlake
Tom Janssens is a former SVP Operations & Logistics at Westlake, a role held from 2022 to 2025 in Houston, Texas, and was SVP Strategy there in 2025. Tom Janssens has been a board member at Critical Flow Solutions and an advisor at Camin Cargo Control Inc. since November 2025 and a board member at PURAGLOBE since March 2026.
Travis Potts
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Operations, Roofing and Stone Solutions · Westlake Royal Building Products
Travis Potts is a former Vice President, Operations, Roofing and Stone Solutions at Westlake Royal Building Products, a role held from 2022 to 2025, and the profile says the move came with the sale of the Boral business to Westlake. Travis Potts has been EVP Strategy and Transformation at Reliance Worldwide Corporation since March 2025 and was Vice President Operations at Boral from 2018 to 2021.
Ulrich Woike
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director Operations Chlorovinyls Europe & Asia, bei Westlake Vinnolit GmbH & Co.KG · Westlake Vinnolit
Ulrich Woike has been Sr. Director Operations Chlorovinyls Europe & Asia at Westlake Vinnolit since June 2025, based in Bavaria, Germany, and was Senior Director Operations PEM, Europe & Asia there from 2023 to 2025. Ulrich Woike was Director Operations at Westlake Vinnolit GmbH & Co.KG from 2021 to 2023, according to the listing.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's scope, such as company-wide operational excellence, one product chain, one region or one group of plants, to the decision you face. Check whether each role is current or has ended, and when it started, to judge how recent the person's view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your current operations role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which reliability and safety practices to standardize and which to leave to each site?
- 03What has your own work taught you about improving plant reliability and safety?
Reaching Westlake operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Westlake operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 3 companies: Westlake, Westlake Royal Building Products and Westlake Vinnolit, based on profile data retrieved on October 23, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Westlake operations leaders?
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Can an AI agent ask one of these Westlake operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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