Cabot appoints new reinforcement materials leader

Boston, Massachusetts – Cabot Corp. has appointed Matthew Wood as SVP and president of its reinforcement materials segment, effective 15 June.

He will succeed executive vice president Hobart Kalkstein, who will retire on 5 January 2026.

Kalkstein, who has led the segment since April 2016, will remain with the company until his retirement to support a smooth leadership transition, Cabot announced on 3 June.

During his tenure, Kalkstein “drove strong financial performance” and played a “key role” in the development of Cabot’s Evolve-branded sustainable solutions, said Sean Keohane, president and CEO.

Wood is currently VP global marketing and strategy for Cabot’s battery materials segment.

He joined Cabot from BP in 2010 and has since held a number of regional and global roles spanning commercial, marketing, strategy, operations, and general management.

He has previously worked in the reinforcement materials segment as VP of global marketing and as Asia Pacific regional marketing director, with experience across Europe, the US, and Asia.

Cabot's reinforcement materials segment primarily includes the production of carbon black materials used in rubber, tire and speciality applications.