Evonik: Claus Rettig temporarily takes over leadership of the Group

Evonik’s Supervisory Board has appointed Dr. Claus Rettig to the Executive Board with effect from September 1, 2026, and named him Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board. According to the specialty chemicals group, Rettig will assume the duties of CEO Christian Kullmann until further notice. Kullmann will spend the coming weeks recovering from a serious, unplanned operation. Evonik says that Kullmann has come through the procedure well. The Supervisory Board expects him to resume his duties following his rehabilitation.

Rettig, 66, has worked for the company for more than 30 years and currently heads its Asia business from Singapore in his capacity as General Representative. According to Evonik, he will continue to perform this role while serving on the Executive Board.

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Rettig already temporarily assumed operational responsibilities in the finance function last year. After studying chemistry, he initially held various positions in the chemical industry. In 2003, he was appointed to the Executive Board of Goldschmidt AG, which later became part of Evonik. From 2015, he headed Evonik’s Resource Efficiency segment, and in 2020 he joined the extended Executive Board. In 2022, he was appointed General Representative and assumed responsibility for the Asia-Pacific region.

More information: www.evonik.de

Evonik Industries AG, Essen