Avient Corporation has appointed Mike Frank as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, marking a leadership change as the specialty materials company looks to accelerate growth, strengthen execution and expand margins.
Frank, who has led global agricultural chemicals company UPL Corporation since 2022, succeeds Ashish K Khandpur, who has stepped down from the role. Khandpur will remain in an advisory capacity through December 31, 2026, to support a smooth leadership transition.
The Board of Directors has also elected Richard H. Fearon, Avient’s Lead Independent Director, as Non-Executive Chairman.
Frank brings extensive global leadership experience spanning agricultural chemicals, commercial strategy, technology commercialisation and operational transformation. At UPL, which operates in more than 130 countries, he drove operational efficiency, supported resilient growth and expanded the product pipeline through innovation and new product launches.
Before joining UPL, Frank spent 25 years at Monsanto in senior leadership positions, most recently serving as global Chief Commercial Officer. He subsequently became CEO of Nutrien Ag Solutions, where he led a major transformation initiative.
"Mike is an exceptional executive with a record of accomplishment in agricultural chemicals," said Richard H. Fearon. "Having led numerous complex global organizations, he brings deep expertise across every critical functional discipline—from global supply chain and commercial strategy to technology commercialization.
"He also brings to Avient a broad global perspective, having lived in Canada, Europe, China, and the US and worked extensively around the world. His unique combination of executive leadership, operational discipline, and commercial expertise will help accelerate market adoption of Avient's deep product pipeline and drive continued margin expansion across our specialty portfolio. The Board is confident that Mike's leadership and focus on execution will position Avient well as we continue to build momentum and deliver on our objectives."
Taking charge immediately, Frank said he would build on Avient’s existing capabilities, work closely with the Board and management team, and sharpen the company’s focus on performance.
"I am honored to take on the role of CEO at Avient," said Frank. "I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place, distinguished by Avient's innovative technologies, talented team and loyal customers.
"My priority will be to partner with the Board and management team to sharpen execution and drive performance, while advancing Avient's mission of innovating materials solutions that help our customers succeed and enable a more sustainable world."
The company also acknowledged Khandpur’s contributions during his tenure, citing strategic repositioning, talent recruitment, improvements in research and development, and consistent financial results.
Fearon added, "On behalf of the Board and management team, I would like to thank Ashish for all of his valuable contributions to Avient over the years. He repositioned the company with a new strategic plan, recruited significant talent to our team, has significantly upgraded the Company's research and development activities, and delivered consistent financial results.
"We are also grateful for his agreement to remain in an advisory consulting role through the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition. We wish him the very best in the future."
Alongside the leadership announcement, Avient reaffirmed its full-year and third-quarter 2026 financial guidance.
