By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : April 15, 2026 7:11 am
Effective July 1, 2026, Jim Fitterling will step into the role of Executive Chair of the Board, and Karen S. Carter, currently Chief Operating Officer, will become Dow’s Chief Executive Officer and join the Board of Director
Effective July 1, 2026, Dow will transition its leadership: current Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling will step into the role of Executive Chair, while Karen S. Carter, the company’s current COO, will succeed him as Chief Executive Officer.
As part of this transition, Carter will also join the Board of Directors. Meanwhile, Richard Davis is set to remain in his position as Independent Lead Director.
This announcement follows a multi-year succession plan designed to ensure stability as Dow continues its growth as a global leader in materials science.
"On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Jim for his exceptional leadership and continued contributions to Dow," said Davis. "Jim has led the company through a period of significant transformation while strengthening Dow's strategy, culture and long-term positioning. We are equally pleased to congratulate Karen on her appointment as CEO. She is a disciplined, highly respected leader with a deep understanding of Dow's businesses and customers. This appointment reflects our confidence in her ability to lead Dow forward into its next chapter of growth and value creation for customers, employees and shareholders."
Since taking the helm in 2018 and becoming Board Chair in 2020, Jim Fitterling has steered Dow through its pivotal spin-out from DowDuPont and complex global challenges. Under his leadership, the company has evolved into a more resilient, innovation-heavy enterprise focused on high-growth consumer markets. Fitterling has been instrumental in modernising Dow by championing aggressive sustainability goals and fostering a corporate culture rooted in inclusion, safety, and high performance.
"Serving as CEO of Dow has been the privilege of a lifetime," said Fitterling. "Together with our employees and leadership team, we have transformed Dow into a stronger, more focused company with the right strategy, capabilities and culture for the future. I look forward to continuing to support Dow as Executive Chair and working closely with Karen to help ensure continuity and strong execution."
In his new role, Fitterling will continue to chair the Board and focus on long-term strategy, governance, and key external relationships, while supporting continuity in leadership and execution.
Karen S. Carter brings more than three decades of experience at Dow, with deep operational expertise and a strong track record of delivering results across the enterprise. As Chief Operating Officer, she has overseen business and operational performance company-wide, with responsibility for Dow's operating segments and key functional organizations, while strengthening customer engagement and accelerating innovation.
Previously, Carter served as President of Dow's Packaging & Specialty Plastics, the company's largest operating segment, where she led value growth through asset upgrades, capacity expansions and improved reliability, while advancing circular economy solutions in close partnership with customers and brand owners. She has also held senior leadership roles across business, commercial, and corporate functions, giving her a uniquely holistic perspective on Dow's operations.
"I am deeply honored to assume the role of CEO and lead Dow into our next chapter," said Carter. "Dow has extraordinary people, world-class assets and leading positions in the markets we serve. Our focus remains unwavering: delivering reliable and innovative solutions for our customers, and long-term value for our employees and our shareholders, while accelerating our transformation to set a new competitive standard for best-in-class performance. I look forward to continuing my partnership with Jim in his new role as Executive Chair, and to working with the Board and all of Team Dow to advance our strategy and deliver on our priorities."