Changes in the management team from January 1, 2010

The composition and responsibilities within the Air Liquide management team will be modified from January 1, 2010, Klaus Schmieder, Senior Executive Vice-President of Air Liquide, having decided to retire effective end of 2009.

The General Management of Air Liquide will be comprised of Benoît Potier, Chairman and CEO, together with Pierre Dufour, Senior Executive Vice-President, and Jean-Pierre Duprieu, Senior Vice-President, who will supervise Europe and the Healthcare activities.

Within the management team, other responsibilities will now be as follows:

• François Darchis*, Senior Vice-President, Engineering and Construction, Research and Technology, and also supervising the Industrial Merchant, Electronics and Healthcare World Business Lines;
• Jean-Marc de Royere*, Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific;
• Fabienne Lecorvaisier*, Group Vice-President, Finance and Operations Control;
• Ron LaBarre*, Group Vice-President, Large Industries World Business Line;
• Guy Salzgeber*, Vice-President, Northern and Central Europe;
• Augustin de Roubin*, Vice-President, Southern and Eastern Europe (including France), and Welding and Diving activities;
• Michael J. Graff*, Vice-President, Americas, also supervising Safety and Industrial Systems;
• Mok Kwong Weng*, Vice-President, North-East Asia.

In addition, the following appointments will be effective January 1, 2010:

• Pascal Vinet, Vice-President, Healthcare World Business Line and Operations;
• François Abrial, Vice-President Human Resources, Air Liquide Group.

The new strengthened management team aims to continue the worldwide development strategy of the Air Liquide Group, drawing notably on its ALMA strategic program, and to allow it to tackle the new challenges which lie ahead.

* members of the Executive Committee of the Group

Klaus Schmieder joined the Air Liquide Group in 2004, following the acquisition of certain Messer assets, as Senior Executive Vice-President, member of the Management Board and of the Executive Committee. In particular, he supervised the Industrial Merchant and the Healthcare World Business Lines, Europe, and the functions of Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs. Klaus Schmieder has greatly contributed to the development of Air Liquide in Europe and brought to the Group his considerable expertise in finance, legal affairs and in the Group's markets.

Jean-Pierre Duprieu, 57 years old, joined Air Liquide in 1976: he has spent his entire career with the Group, holding various commercial, operational and strategic positions. He has an in-depth knowledge of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, which he has supervised. Since 2005, Jean-Pierre Duprieu has been based in Tokyo in charge of the Asia-Pacific zone and the Electronics World Business Line. Jean-Pierre Duprieu has been a member of the Group's Executive Committee since 2000.

Pascal Vinet, 47 years old, of French nationality, joined Air Liquide in 1986. He has notably been responsible for the Group's Australian subsidiary, Corporate R&D and the Industrial Merchant activity in the United States. Since 2007, he has been Group Vice-President of Strategic Control and Secretary of the Executive Committee.

François Abrial, 47 years old, of French nationality, has been with the Air Liquide Group since 1996; he has notably held the role of HR Deputy Director, Air Liquide Group. He has supervised the Medical Gases and Medical Equipment businesses of the Healthcare World Business Line, before becoming Vice-President of Africa and the Middle East in 2007.

Photos available upon request.