8. Group Management
8.1. The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee (EC) consists of the CEO, the CFO, and two other members. The Executive Committee regularly holds meetings at the Corporate Center in Pratteln or at other Clariant sites worldwide. It uses such external meetings to discuss business performance with the management of the local companies in person.
8.2. Members of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee comprised the following members:
8.2.1. Hariolf Kottmann, German citizen, Executive Chairman since 24 July 2019
Until the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is newly filled, Hariolf Kottmann acts as Executive Chairman.
Operational responsibilities: Corporate Planning & Strategy and Clariant Excellence (until 31 October 2019); Group Communication; Group Legal; Group Human Resources.
Hariolf Kottmann earned his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Stuttgart in 1984. In 1985, he launched his career at the former Hoechst AG in Frankfurt, where he held several key management positions across the company’s chemical divisions and functions. In 1996, he was appointed Deputy Head of the Basic Chemicals Division at Hoechst AG and took responsibility for the Inorganic Chemicals BU. In 1998, he joined Celanese Ltd in New Jersey (United States) as member of the Executive Committee and Head of the Organic Chemicals BU. In April 2001, he was appointed member of the Executive Committee of SGL Carbon AG, where he was responsible for the Graphite Specialties, Corrosion Protection, and Advanced Materials Divisions as well as the Eastern Europe and Asia regions until 30 September 2008. He was also in charge of the SGL Excellence and Technology & Innovation corporate functions. He became CEO of Clariant on 1 October 2008 and held this position until 15 October 2018.
8.2.2. Ernesto Occhiello, Italian citizen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) until 23 July 2019
Operational responsibilities: Corporate Planning & Strategy; Group Communications; Group Human Resources; Group Legal; Clariant Excellence.
Ernesto Occhiello holds a laurea in chemistry with honors from the University of Turin. He started his career in 1985 at Istituto Guido Donegani, where he became a leading scientist in the field of surface characterization and modification. Between 1991 and 2001, he held several positions at EniChem, where he led the technical aspects of the due diligence and negotiations for the sale of the polyurethane business to Dow Chemical. From 2001 to 2011, he was responsible for a global scientific workforce and championed R&D of several businesses of Dow Chemical. Between 2009 and 2011, he worked as Dow’s R&D Director Performance Systems and R&D Director Europe, India, Middle East & Africa, based in Horgen, Switzerland. In 2011, Ernesto Occhiello joined SABIC as Executive Vice President Technology & Innovation, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Member of the Executive Committee. In 2015, he became Executive Vice President Innovative Plastics Strategic Business Unit, leading a major restructure, which resulted in the creation of a true Specialties Strategic Business Unit in 2016. Ernesto Occhiello was appointed as CEO of Clariant effective as of 16 October 2018.
8.2.3. Hans Bohnen, German citizen, Chief Operating Officer (COO) since 24 July 2019
Operational responsibilities: Business Area Care Chemicals; Business Area Catalysis; Business Area Natural Resources (from 1 July 2019); Business Area Plastics & Coatings, resp. Business Units Masterbatches and Pigments (until 31 October 2019); Group Procurement Services; Group Technology & Innovation; Digital4Clariant; regions Latin America and North America.
Hans Bohnen studied chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, obtained a PhD in chemistry from the University of Tübingen, Germany, and holds an MBA from the Aston Business School. Hans Bohnen began his career in 1995 as a Research Chemist at Hoechst AG. Between 1995 and 2006, he held several senior positions in Research & Development and Operations across Europe and North America for Hoechst AG, Celanese AG, and SGL Group. From 2007 to 2009, he worked in strategic management consultancy with Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2010, he became Senior Vice President and Head of Clariant’s Business Unit Masterbatches. In 2015, he was appointed Head of Clariant Global Business Services to build up Clariant’s internal shared service organization. On 12 October 2018, he was appointed a member of the Executive Committee of Clariant.
8.2.4. Bernd Hoegemann, German citizen, EC member since 1 November 2019
Operational responsibilities: Business Unit Masterbatches; Business Unit Pigments; Clariant Excellence; Corporate Planning & Strategy; Corporate Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs (including Corporate ESHA); region Asia-Pacific (i.e. India, Southeast Asia & Pacific, Japan, Greater China). Bernd Hoegemann also currently heads the Business Unit Masterbatches until its divestment is completed.
In 2006, Bernd Hoegemann received his doctorate in economics from the University of Münster (Germany), where he had also completed his master’s degree in psychology. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hagen (Germany). He began his career as a consultant in 2000 and has held several positions as a senior consultant with renowned companies. In 2008, he joined Clariant, where he was responsible for Senior Management Development. From 2012 until 2017, he headed up the Clariant Excellence unit. From 2015 until 2018, Bernd Hoegemann was Head of Corporate Planning & Strategy. He was appointed Head of the BU Masterbatches in 2017.
8.2.5. Patrick Jany, German citizen, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Operational responsibilities: Corporate Accounting; Corporate Controlling; Corporate Tax; Corporate Treasury; Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions; Group Finance Services; Global Business Services; Group Compliance; Group Information Technology; Investor Relations; regions Europe and Middle East & Africa.
Patrick Jany studied economics at the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris. He has been Chief Financial Officer at Clariant since 1 January 2006. In 1990, he joined Sandoz – one of Clariant’s predecessor companies. He held various positions in finance and controlling at Sandoz and Clariant, including Chief Financial Officer for the ASEAN region and Head of Controlling for the Pigments & Additives Division. From 2003 to 2004, he was Head of Country Organization for Clariant in Mexico. Prior to his appointment as CFO, he was Clariant’s Head of Corporate Development with responsibility for Group strategy and mergers and acquisitions.
8.2.6. Christian Kohlpaintner, German citizen, EC member until 30 June 2019
Operational responsibilities: Business Area Care Chemicals; Business Area Catalysis; Business Area Natural Resources; Group Technology & Innovation; Corporate Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs; regions Greater China, India, Japan, and South East Asia & Pacific.
Christian Kohlpaintner studied chemistry at the Technical University of Munich and completed his PhD in 1992. Between 1993 and 1997, he worked in various research departments of Hoechst AG in Germany and the United States. In 1997, he joined Celanese Ltd and held a number of leadership roles at Celanese Chemicals Corporation. In 2002, he became Vice President Innovation of Celanese Ltd and Executive Director of Celanese Ventures Corporation. From 2003, he was a member of the Executive Committee of Chemische Fabrik Budenheim. In 2005, he became CEO. On 1 October 2009, he was appointed a member of the Executive Committee of Clariant.
8.3. Other activities and functions
While the members of the Executive Committee may undertake other activities in accordance with Article 38 para 2 of the Articles of Association, none of the members of the Executive Committee undertake other activities or hold consultancy functions or other offices, except for
- Patrick Jany: member of the Board of Directors and of the Audit Committee of Comet Holding AG, Switzerland, since 25 April 2019 and, since 21 June 2019, independent Lead Director;
- Ernesto Occhiello (with Clariant until 23 July 2019): member of a scientific committee of the Agroinnova institute, University of Turin, and
- Christian Kohlpaintner (with Clariant until 30 June 2019): chairman of the university foundation of the Technische Universität München (TUM) in Munich, Germany, member of the Board of Trustees of the scientific journal »Angewandte Chemie«, Weinheim, Germany, and member of the Board of the business association scienceindustries Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland.
8.4. Management contracts with third parties
There are no management contracts with third parties.
8.5. Contractual arrangements for members of the Executive Committee
All members of the Executive Committee hold employment contracts with Clariant International Ltd, the Clariant Group’s management company. The contractual provisions are governed exclusively by Swiss law. Contracts of the members of the Executive Committee are subject to a standard notice period of twelve months.
8.6. Compensation, shareholdings, and loans
Please refer to the 2019 Compensation Report and Note 14 of the Financial Statements of Clariant Ltd in the Financial Report 2019.
Management body of joint stock companies; at Clariant the Executive Committee currently comprises four members. View entire glossary
Management body of joint stock companies; at Clariant the Executive Committee currently comprises four members. View entire glossary
These are plastic additives in the form of granules with dyestuffs or other additives used to dye or alter the properties of natural plastic. View entire glossary
Pigments are substances used for coloring; they are used in a technical manner, for example in the manufacture of dyes, varnishes, and plastics. View entire glossary
These are plastic additives in the form of granules with dyestuffs or other additives used to dye or alter the properties of natural plastic. View entire glossary
Compliance is a key element of Corporate Governance. It refers to compliance with the law and directives as well as with voluntary codes within the company. View entire glossary