Our Tribe's Leaders

As president and chief executive officer of WD-40 Company, Steve is responsible for developing and implementing high-level strategies, all operations, and the oversight of all relationships and partnerships for the company.

Steve is passionate about the power of learning, building a global business, and leveraging culture as a competitive advantage. Steve has been with the company since 1991 and most recently held the role of president and chief operating officer. Prior to that role, he held various management positions with the company, including division president (Americas) and chief brand officer, European commercial director, European sales director, director of continental Europe, country manager Germany and international area manager.

Steve is a native of the United Kingdom. He has a bachelor’s degree in French and German, and an executive MBA from the London Business School. Steve holds a certificate of excellence for attending the Chief Executive Officer program at UC Berkeley. In 2018, he was certified by Marshall Goldsmith as a Stakeholder Centered Coach.

As the managing director of WD-40 Company’s EMEA segment, Christophe Cloëz is responsible for overseeing all operations throughout Europe, India, Middle East and Africa.

Christophe has been with the company since 1996 and most recently held the role of commercial director, Southern Europe. Prior to that role, he held various management positions with the company, including regional director for Italy, France and Africa. Christophe has started our French office, opened our Italian branch and created the Global Brand Team.

Christophe is committed to building simultaneously highly effective teams and our brands.

Christophe studied business in both France and the United States. He received a Master of Business Administration and Finance from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Pau and his Master of Business Administration from Clemson University.

As the managing director of WD-40 Company’s Asia-Pacific segment, Geoff Holdsworth is responsible for overseeing all operations throughout the Pacific Rim, Asia and Australia. Geoff also serves as a board member of WD-40 Company (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Geoff joined the company in 1996 and assumed the role of managing director in 1997. He was responsible for overseeing the opening of the Company’s subsidiary in China in 2006. He lived in Shanghai for more than three years before returning to Sydney, Australia in 2009.

Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Geoff spent 16 years with Columbia Pelikan in various management positions within the organization.

Geoff was educated in Sydney at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

As vice president, finance, treasurer and chief financial officer, Sara Hyzer is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations, including the management of accounting, treasury, financial planning and reporting, and internal audit.

Sara joined WD-40 Company in August 2021 as vice president, global finance strategy and assumed her role of chief financial officer in November 2022.

Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Sara spent over 20 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with the last six years serving as an audit partner for both publicly traded and privately held companies in various industries, including consumer products and life sciences.

Sara has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Colorado State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of California and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

As vice president, stakeholder and investor engagement, Wendy Kelley is responsible for leading the strategy and delivery of communication programs which shape the company’s corporate reputation with key stakeholders. She is also responsible for developing and executing the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.

Wendy joined WD-40 Company in 2014 as the company’s director of investor relations and corporate communications. Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Wendy worked as the senior manager of investor relations for Leap Wireless from 2008 to 2014. She began her career in investor relations at Diversa Corporation.

Wendy holds a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Redlands.

As vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Phenix has global responsibility for the Company’s legal affairs and corporate governance. She also serves as the company’s chief compliance officer.

Phenix joined WD-40 Company in early 2021 as vice president, legal and was appointed to her role of vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary later that year. Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Phenix worked as the vice president and general counsel of Kyriba Corp. from 2014 to 2021 and as senior corporate counsel of Active Network, LLC from 2012 to 2014. Prior to her time as in-house counsel, Phenix practiced law at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP.

Phenix received her Juris Doctor degree from the Boston College Law School and her Bachelor of Political Science degree from the University of Southern California.

As managing director, global MD and emerging markets and channel strategy, Preston is responsible for driving accelerated growth in the global MD business, innovating business models across global MDs, and putting together and executing emerging markets strategy. Preston also leads the global eCommerce business.

Preston has been with the company since 1998 and most recently held the role of commercial director, Northern Europe. Prior to that role, he held various management positions with the company, including regional director for the United Kingdom and Benelux and country manager for the United Kingdom. Preston is committed to building highly effective, diverse teams and has a strong track record of developing and enabling individuals to achieve success.

Preston received his Master of Arts in Leadership from Henley Business School and his Bachelor of Arts in Business and Finance and studied General Management at Cranfield School of Management.

As vice president, global research and development, Meghan Lieb provides strategic and scientific leadership over the company’s global research and development efforts, oversees global regulatory compliance, and provides technical support for all corporate strategies.

Meghan joined WD-40 Company in 2004 and was appointed as to her role of vice president, global research and development in 2021. Meghan has held various positions with the organization including, global director of research and development, director research and development, senior manager research and development, and senior scientist. Meghan began her journey with our tribe as R&D project coordinator.

Meghan currently serves on the board of directors for the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA.)

Meghan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Drew University as well as a Master of Science and Ph.D in Chemistry from Princeton University.

As chief people, culture and capability officer, Jeff is responsible for global oversight of the human resource function, and the coordination of strategy for global supply chain and quality functions.

Jeff has been with WD-40 Company since 2017 and has held various management positions including, director of human resources, information technology, supply chain and finance within the Company’s EIMEA segment. Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Jeff worked as the senior director of talent and engagement for San Diego International Airport from 2006 to 2016 and as a director of human resources at Pier 1 from 2000 to 2006.

Jeff received his Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego and his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Walden University. He maintains a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential and serves on the SHRM Certification Commission, which oversees credentialing of human resources professionals around the world.

As the group managing director, Bill Noble is responsible for overseeing all operations throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and global MD and emerging markets.

Bill joined WD-40 Company in 1993 and has held various management positions, including international marketing manager and director of operations. In these roles, Bill was responsible for overseeing the opening of the company’s Malaysian office and managing the Company’s Asian regional office in Kuala Lumpur. In 1996, Bill moved to the United Kingdom to assume the role of managing director.

Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Bill was with Dow Corning for nearly ten years in various sales and marketing management roles throughout Asia.

Bill holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and mathematics. His postgraduate studies include marketing at Monash University and management at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

As the division president of WD-40 Company’s Americas segment, Patricia Olsem is responsible for overseeing all operations throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Patricia has been with WD-40 Company since 2005 and has held various management positions including, senior vice president and general manager of United States, senior vice president marketing and innovation of the Americas, and vice president Americas innovation development group.

Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Patricia worked in brand management at ConAgra Foods from2000 to 2005, International Home Foods from 1997 to 2000 and Diageo from 1995 to 1998. She currently serves on the board of advisors for the Cremo Company.

Patricia received her Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from King’s College and her Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego.

As vice president, corporate controller and principal accounting officer, Rae Ann Partlo is responsible for directing and overseeing the company’s global accounting, external financial reporting and compliance functions and serves as the primary technical lead for all such functions.

Rae Ann joined WD-40 Company in January 2010 as the director of accounting and financial reporting and has held various financial leadership positions within the organization, including corporate controller. She assumed the role of vice president, corporate controller and principal accounting officer in December 2019.

Prior to joining WD-40 Company, Rae Ann served in a variety of financial positions with semiconductor and communications companies in the San Diego area, including as vice president, corporate controller and chief accounting officer for Cymer, Inc.

Rae Ann holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University.