Biz Scene: Biz Moves

New president

US bearing manufacturer The Timken Co said yesterday See Leong Fang will take over as president of its operations in China, reporting directly to Roger Lindsay, the company's senior vice-president for the Asia-Pacific region.

Jim Gresh, who previously held the position of president for Timken in China, will become vice-president of Asia strategy.

Fang will take over responsibility for all Timken activities in China including its workforce of 4,000.

China Netcom hire

Cesar Alierta Izuel, chairman of Telefonica SA, Europe's second-largest telephone company, is joining China Netcom Group Corp (Hong Kong) Ltd as a non-executive director, the Hong Kong-based company said.

Izuel, 62, is entitled to an annual director's fee of HK$200,000, China Netcom said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Alierta is the second Telefonica official to join Netcom's board. Telefonica bought 5 percent of China Netcom in 2005 for 418.3 million euros and said it plans to double its holding to 10 percent by the end of this year.

Fiat appointment

Fiat Group Automobiles has appointed Paolo Arpellino as chief representative officer of Fiat Group Automobiles, China Representative Office.

With a strong background in corporate finance and more than 10 years' experience in the automotive industry, Arpellino has been working for FGA's International Business Development unit since 2005. The appointment is a further step toward the next phase in Fiat's restructure of its China business.

(China Daily 12/07/2007 page15)