Senior management movement at Evonik 

Essen, Germany - Major changes are set to take place at the Evonik executive board with the departure of chairman Klaus Engel in May and chief operating officer Ralph Sven Kaufmann in June.

Christian Kullmann is taking over as the chairman of Evonik’s executive board, succeeding Engel who is leaving the company at the end of the annual shareholders’ meeting on 23 May, Evonik AG said in a statement on 1 March. 

“We thank Mr. Engel for his service to the company and for his outstanding achievements,” said Werner Müller, chairman of the supervisory board.

Müller thanked Engel for his efforts throughout the years, specifically the acquisition of the Air Products speciality additives business, which Engel achieved in May 2016.

Engel was originally appointed to the Board of Management of what was then Degussa in 2007, becoming chairman in 2009. 

Christian Kullmann has worked for the company for 14 years and was appointed deputy chairman of the executive board in May 2016.

“I sincerely thank Mr. Engel for our trustful collaboration,” said Kullmann. “I look forward to taking on this new role and thank the supervisory board for its confidence in me.” 

Ralph Sven Kaufmann, chief operating officer of Evonik, will also be leaving the company “by mutual and amicable agreement on 30 June, before the scheduled end of his term of office,” said the Evonik statement.

The position of chief operating office on the executive board will not be filled.

Additionally, Harald Schwager will also be joining Evonik on 1 September as the new deputy chairman of the executive board, with responsibility for chemicals and innovation. Schwager is a chemist and a member of the board of executive directors of BASF, which he will be leaving in May.