Dinesh Paliwal, ABB group executive vice president, has been named global division head.

“The merging of these divisions reflects a change in the marketplace. We see process and discrete manufacturing converging, and as a result, customers are looking for greater synergy in this extended value chain,” Paliwal said. “This merging increases our opportunity to serve our customers’ power and automation needs, better and faster than ever before.”

Paliwal, 44, began his career in 1979 with Ballapur Industries, India, and after joining ABB in 1985, served a number of customers in engineering, sales, marketing and management positions in Australia, China, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.

In 1994, Paliwal became head of ABB’s multi-industry business in China, which included several joint ventures. In 1998, he became head of ABB’s global Pulp, Paper, Metal and Minerals business, and he became head of the Process Industries division, which industries including metals, minerals and mining.

Paliwal holds a masters degree in paper science & engineering from Roorkee University in India, as well as masters degrees in applied science & engineering and business administration from Miami University, Ohio, USA. He is chairman of the board of Skyva International (USA), and also a board member of ABB companies in Singapore, India, Spain, Sweden and the USA.