PITTSBURGH—Lanxess Corp. is saying goodbye to a respected leader, as Antonis Papadourakis retires after eight years as president and CEO.
The company welcomed Frederique van Baarle as president and CEO of the Americas division, a role she officially assumed Oct. 1 and one that was managed in the interim by Papadourakis.
Papadourakis' retirement was effective Sept. 30.
"It has been an honor to have been a part of the world-class team at Lanxess, and having the opportunity to work alongside so many amazing colleagues," Papadourakis said. "I'm eternally grateful for the wonderful experiences and the professional and personal relationships developed during my tenure here.
"The team, and future operations within the region, have a bright future with Frederique van Baarle at the helm."
Papadourakis, who became Lanxess CEO in 2015, has spent more than 35 years in the chemical industry.
Van Baarle, a native of the Netherlands, officially joined the Board of Management at parent company Lanxess A.G. in April 2023 as a board member with oversight of the firm's operations in the Americas’ region, along with her duties as labor director.
Her relocation from Cologne, Germany, to Pittsburgh, where the Americas team is based, represents the first time a Lanxess board member has been based outside of Germany.
Van Baarle joined Lanxess in 2011 and has more than two decades of leadership experience in the high performance materials and chemical spaces.
She has held roles in the engineered plastics line and in other management positions with Royal DSM, prior to coming on board with Lanxess.
"I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the team here in the Americas, which is becoming an increasingly important region for our industry and for Lanxess," van Baarle said. "I'm incredibly appreciative for the leadership Antonis has shown over the past few months during this transition, and I look forward to meeting so many colleagues and building upon the well-established safety and sustainability programs already in place."