German specialty chemicals company Evonik has announced plans to adopt a significantly leaner management model that will lead to significant job cuts

As the nucleus of the Group, the business lines are the focus of its entrepreneurial activities. The reorganization program “Evonik Tailor Made”, which runs until the end of 2026 and will significantly reduce costs in the long term, also follows this principle. After the completion of the planning phase, the first structural measures were already implemented this year. They will lead to faster decision-making and processes and drastically reduce bureaucracy. By the time the program is completed, Evonik will have reduced the number of management levels from an average of ten to a maximum of six across the group. At the same time, more than 3,000 organizational units will be eliminated.

This is reflected in the leaner management model that will be implemented with the new segment structure. With the elimination of the division management level, a complete layer in the operational business will be removed as of April 1, 2025. The business lines, bundled into the new segments, will then be managed directly by individual members of the Executive Board.  

The Custom Solutions business lines will be led by Lauren Kjeldsen, an American citizen and currently head of the Smart Materials division. The Advanced Technologies business lines will be managed by Claudine Mollenkopf, a French national and currently head of the Specialty Additives division. Kjeldsen and Mollenkopf will be appointed to the Executive Board on April 1, 2025.

“The new management team with Christian Kullmann, Lauren Kjeldsen, Claudine Mollenkopf, Maike Schuh, and Thomas Wessel will lead the Group into a bright future,” says Supervisory Board Chairman Bernd Tönjes. ”Lauren Kjeldsen and Claudine Mollenkopf are experienced business leaders. The decision to appoint them was unanimous.”

“Our Executive Board is becoming more international and will have more women,” says Kullmann. ”Lauren and Claudine have been very successful leaders, and I look forward to working with them on the Executive Board. Together, we will make Evonik better.”

Kjeldsen will also take responsibility for innovation and for the Americas region on the Executive Board. Mollenkopf will be responsible for the region Asia-Pacific and for Operational Excellence, the continuous improvement of processes in the plants.

Thomas Wessel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director, will take on additional responsibilities at the start of the new year for Infrastructure, including the business line Performance Intermediates, and the new NextGen Technologies function, which will drive the technological sustainability transformation.

Harald Schwager, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board since 2017, is retiring. Johann-Caspar Gammelin, head of the Nutrition & Care division, and Joachim Dahm, head of the Performance Materials division, are retiring as well.

“Harald Schwager has made lasting contributions to our company,” says Tönjes. “This applies particularly to Research and Development, which has steadily increased its innovation power under his leadership.”

Thomas Wessel's contract, which currently runs until the summer of 2026, is to be extended next year until the summer of 2028. “With his wealth of experience, Thomas will continue to ensure that the major transformation of our company is implemented consistently and with social integrity,” says Kullmann.

Kullmann praises Gammelin and Dahm as outstanding executives. “Johann-Caspar Gammelin recently set the Nutrition & Care division on a successful path for the future. Joachim Dahm successfully designed and drove the new structure of Technology & Infrastructure. I would like to sincerely thank them both.”

Kullmann also expressed his deep appreciation of Deputy Chairman Schwager: “For eight years, I worked very closely with Harald in an atmosphere of mutual trust. He has done a great job for our company, particularly in the areas of operational excellence and innovation. Harald is an outstanding business leader and a wonderful person.”