Our Management Team

Dr. Boris Gorella

Chief Executive Officer

Boris Gorella is well-known in the construction chemicals industry, serving as the CEO of Master Builders Solutions. He was appointed to this position in May 2023 by Cinven, the international private equity firm that holds the company. With a successful career spanning several decades, Boris has solidified his reputation as a leader with a strong track record across the chemical and basic materials industries, having previously served as CEO of Pfleiderer Group (2021-23, PE-owned) and Beckers Group (2011-20, privately owned). He also previously served as Head of BASF Construction Chemicals Business Unit in Asia Pacific and President of Evonik Construction Chemicals Business Unit in Asia, where played a pivotal role in the company's expansion (2001-089). Previously, Boris was with KKR and McKinsey and holds an MBA from INSEAD and a PhD in chemistry from TU Berlin.

Thomas Aebischer

Chief Financial Officer

Thomas Aebischer is an International senior executive serving as the interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Master Builders Solutions. Thomas has more than 25 years of profound financial and executive management experience in a variety of industries, including chemicals, and construction. He began his career at PWC, where he held various finance positions. He later joined Holcim, a global leader in sustainable construction products, where he held several roles of increasing responsibility in several countries around the globe. He was appointed CFO of Holcim in 2011 – 2015. From 2016 to 2019 he served as the Executive Vice President and CFO of LyondellBasell in Houston, TX. Thomas is a Swiss Certified Public Accountant and is an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.

Dr. Karsten Eller

Chief Operating Officer

In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Karsten Eller brings over 30 years of invaluable experience in the chemicals industry to Master Builders Solutions, with a substantial portion of that time dedicated to key management positions within the Construction Chemicals business at Evonik/Degussa and BASF. Prior to joining Master Builders Solutions, Karsten has served over 10 years as COO of Beckers Group, a privately owned global paint company with leading positions in Coil Coatings and key positions in Special Coatings and Consumer Design Finishes. Karsten began his career with BASF in research, moving quickly into operations roles of increasing responsibility, over a period of 11 years. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from TU Berlin and spent time as a Post Doctorate in chemistry at Yale University.

Dr. Julian Horstkotte

Chief Transformation Officer

Julian Horstkotte serves as the Chief Transformation Officer at Master Builders Solutions. His tenure as Chief Transformation Officer at MBCC Group from 2020 to 2023 played a pivotal role in positioning the company as a global industry leader, marking a transformative phase under his leadership. With over a decade of specialized experience in the building materials industry, Julian spearheads the development and implementation of initiatives to drive the company's growth and expansion. His career commenced at the Boston Consulting Group, where he served as a Partner for ten years, enriching his strategic expertise. Julian holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management.

Dr. Bruce Christensen

President USA & Canada

Bruce Christensen, serves as the President of Master Builders Solutions in the USA & Canada, is an industry leader with an esteemed career spanning 20+ years. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Business Management for Admixture Systems (USA/Canada) at the MBCC Group Americas Regional Business Unit. His responsibilities included overseeing the admixtures business in various construction sectors. Prior to that Bruce held leadership roles of increasing responsibility within BASF’s Construction Chemicals business in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Bruce's career began in 2000 as Group Technology Manager for Admixture Product Development at Degussa Admixtures in Ohio, USA. Bruce earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Northwestern University and B.S. degrees in Materials Science and Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.