Fitterling to lead Dow Material Science division

Midland, Michigan – DowDuPont Inc. is making leadership changes as CEO Andrew Liveris prepares to step down, and the merged company prepares to spin itself into three separate firms.

Liveris, 63, plans to step down next month as part of the changes. He has been at the helm of the Dow Chemical Co. since 2004. He will give up his executive chairmanship in April, and his role as director in July, when he officially retires.

Midland.-based Dow and DuPont Co. of Wilmington, Del., completed a merger in 2017, creating DowDuPont.

DowDuPont's Material Advisory Committee intends to appoint Jim Fitterling to the role of CEO of Dow Material Science Division—one of three companies to be created, which will go by the Dow corporate name. Fitterling currently is chief operating officer, according to a company news release.

Additionally, the committee plans to make Howard Ungerleider president and chief financial officer of the division. Ungerleider is CFO of DowDuPont and vice chairman and CFO for Dow.

The changes will be effective upon completion of the division's split, expected in the first quarter of 2019.

Fitterling joined Dow in 1984 and worked in sales, marketing and supply chain positions before assuming a variety of leadership roles. Ungerleider started at Dow in 1990 and has held different leadership roles in commercial, business and financial functions.